


A Death, A Child, A Marriage

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Auror Ginny Weasley, Auror Harry Potter, Drama & Romance, Eventual Happy Ending, Everyone Has Issues, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Post-Canon Fix-It, Post-War, Remus Lupin is a Good Friend, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:48:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 33,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22104328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The war has just ended when tragedy strikes. Ron Weasley has been murdered and Hermione takes it upon herself to seek revenge. This sudden catastrophe shatters the perfect world Hermione and those around her had believed to exist. Little do they know that love and happiness can be found even in the darkest of times.(also uploaded this to fanficition.net)
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Remus Lupin, Sirius Black/Hermione Granger, Sirius Black/Hermione Granger/Remus Lupin
Comments: 7
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

A content smile spread across Hermione Granger's face as she looked across the dimly lit room. The sleeping child, nestled in her arms, breathing softly and the arm of her best friend Harry Potter slung across her shoulder, as they listened to Remus and Sirius telling tales of their time at Hogwarts.  
Sirius had just finished telling one of his famous anecdotes and Remus was clutching his sides as peals of laughter ricocheted off of his shaking body. Harry's deep chuckle rumbled beside her and Hermione herself couldn't stop herself from laughing. Teddy's small hand suddenly clutched at her hair and she cooed softly as she looked into his innocent face. Their laughter died down as Remus saw Hermione comforting his son.  
He had found it unbearable to continue living in the house he had shared with his late wife, Nymphadora Tonks, and had been immensely grateful when Sirius offered him refuge in Grimmauld Place. Teddy was a bonus, in Sirius' eyes. He loved his nephew, well not his actual nephew, more than he had thought himself capable of, and experienced indescribable joy when he got the opportunity to look after him. Hermione and Harry had moved in not soon after. The war had just ended and suddenly they had found themselves homeless. They hadn't had time to think about their future, nor had they dared planning one, seeing as they didn't even know if they would survive the night. Ron and Hermione's relationship had dwindled as soon as it started, but they had stayed close friends as Ron left for Romania to join his brother Charlie in handling wild dragons.  
Their current situation suited everyone perfectly. Remus amongst friends found it easier to handle his grief. Sirius had never enjoyed being alone and loved the company of his friends and godson. Whilst Hermione found the peaceful house extremely beneficial to unwinding after a hard day at work. She had chosen the career of an Auror and even though she had never seen herself pursuing this path, she found herself enjoying it immensely. Obviously, Harry had chosen the same career and the two of them found it comforting to be working side by side.  
Remus leaned over the table as he poured Hermione another drink of butterbeer, and squeezed her arm gratefully as she cradled Teddy back to sleep. Hermione had wholeheartedly accepted the role as godmother to Teddy and Remus admired her greatly for it.  
"Thank you, Hermione. I'll tuck him in later on." Remus murmured as he sat down again.  
Hermione winked at him and smiled slightly.  
"You'd make a great mother, 'Mione," Sirius commented as he watched her stroking the child's head.  
Hermione blushed, secretly pleased that he had noticed her motherly instincts. In fact, Hermione was noticing the growing want in her body. She wanted to have her own child, to care for her own baby. She loved Teddy just as much as she would love her biological child, but, it wasn't quite enough. She wanted more.  
Shaking her head slightly, to rid herself of such thoughts, she looked up at Sirius and nodded gratefully. A warm hand squeezed her shoulder and she turned to look at Harry as he stood.  
"I'm knackered. I'm going to head off to bed." He said warmly, his eyes heavy with sleep.  
Sirius walked up to him and wrapped his arms around his godson.  
"Night, Harry." He exclaimed, his tone friendly, yet a little too loud. Hermione suspected that the three shots of firewhisky he had downed, were to blame. Remus tugged at Sirius' arm and pulled him back down, grinning apologetically at Harry, who looked like he was about to tip over from exhaustion.  
"Goodnight, Harry." Hermione murmured, as she continued to soothe Teddy.  
As they heard Harry trudge up the stairs, Sirius beamed at Hermione.  
"So how long have the two of you been shagging?" He asked, quite matter of factly.  
Hermione blanched, then her face flooded with colour. With an offended glare, she stared at him.  
"What?" She exclaimed.  
Remus frowned at Sirius and settled a hand on his shoulder as if trying to reign him in.  
"Well, it's pretty obvious, 'Mione." He continued.  
"Sirius..." Remus warned, his voice stern.  
Sirius chuckled and shrugged innocently. Hermione cleared her throat and straightened her blouse as she thought of something to say. Teddy snuffled slightly, and she tried in vain to steady her heartbeat, as not to distress the child any further.  
"As a matter of fact, Harry and I have never 'shagged' before and the fact that you would claim such a thing is inexcusable to me. Therefore, I'm going to head upstairs." She huffed, pushing her chair back, but being careful as not to let it make too much noise. She wrapped her arms protectively around her cub and walked defiantly into the hallway.  
"Jesus, Hermione, I'm sorry. I just assumed..." She heard Sirius call from the kitchen. She wasn't really angry, just a little miffed. She respected Sirius and the fact that he thought she would 'shag' anyone made her blush with indignance. She hoped Sirius would pick his words a little more carefully after tonight. Yet, she couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. Had she detected a hint of jealousy in Sirius' voice?  
Footsteps echoed behind her and she whipped around to see Remus coming towards her. He looked embarrassed as he held his arms out. She stepped towards him and hugged him awkwardly, after all, a baby was sleeping in her arms. Remus cleared his throat and pulled away.  
"I actually, erm, wanted to take Teddy from you. You look tired and you need a rest from looking after him." Remus stammered as she flushed with shame. She had misunderstood his advance. Her gaze fixated on the floor, she handed Teddy to Remus, placing a quick kiss onto his tiny forehead.  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"  
Remus chuckled heartily and placed a hand on her shoulder.  
"Hermione, I was joking. I'm sorry, I realise now it might not have been funny." He said, rubbing his neck anxiously as he withdrew his hand. Hermione grinned sheepishly and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.  
"I'm sorry about Sirius, he's had a little too much to drink."  
"No, it's fine. I overreacted a little." She answered shyly. Her gaze drifted over to Teddy's sleeping face. He was adorable and she took hold of his little clenched fist.  
"He's beautiful, isn't he?" Remus murmured as he noticed her looking at his son. She nodded, then smiled at him sadly.  
"He has his father's eyes." She whispered.  
"And his mother's smile." He replied softly.  
Hermione swallowed, then nodded.  
"Night, Remus."  
"Goodnight, Hermione."  
A crash echoed from the kitchen and Hermione sat up. She desperately tried to hold onto the dream she'd been having, but it slipped away from her as she climbed out of her sheets. Another bang erupted from the dining area and she hurried to the stairs, unsure if she should be worried or not. Harry and Remus didn't stir as she raced across the landing. Even Teddy stayed silent as she hurtled down the steps. Another thud as she reached the door to the kitchen. She wrenched it open her wand in hand, ready to hex the person who had dared enter the house of Black. She froze. Sirius? At this time of night? She lowered her wand as he turned around. His already wild hair had seemed to double in its unruliness and his eyes were red and his cheeks wet with tears.  
She was taken aback. Never before had she seen this man cry and never before had she been so afraid of him. She remembered that time in the shrieking shack. She hadn't been scared then, because some gut instinct had told her that she was safe. But now. With his crazed appearance staring back at her, she unconsciously took a step back.  
"Sirius?" She whispered. Broken shards of glass littered the kitchen floor. The room in which they had just spent a magical evening, had been wrecked. She noticed blood dripping from his hands and the small glass shards that had pierced his rough skin.  
"Oh my god, Sirius!" She cried, her body beginning to tremble.  
"Yes, Hermione? What is it you wish to tell me?" He asked, his gaze intense and laced with fury. She paused, unsure of what to do next. Maybe she should alert Remus. He knew how to handle Sirius better than anyone else. It was then that she saw a crumpled piece of parchment laying on the kitchen table. She suspected that this was the cause of his fury.  
"Why- what hap- dear God, Sirius." She stammered.  
He exhaled loudly, then without giving her another glance pushed past her and stalked to his room, slamming the door loudly.  
She heard a cry from upstairs and cursed Sirius for waking Teddy. Her legs were unsteady as she moved towards the table. With shaking hands, she straightened the parchment and tried to decipher the words, tearstains and splotches of blood making it increasingly difficult. When she had finished, she slumped into the chair behind her, silent sobs wracking her body. She snaked her arms around her shoulders and pulled her knees up to her chin. Trying so hard to keep her body from falling apart.  
Her best friend, Ron Weasley was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed!  
> Kudos and comments make my day ;)


	2. Chapter 2

"Hermione. Wake up, Love." A tender voice murmured.  
She felt trapped, she couldn't move. She struggled against her minds restraints, trying to break free. Her eyes refused to open as a warm hand touched her clammy forehead.  
"Harry, get her a glass of water, please. Now!" The voice called urgently.  
She didn't want to wake up. The reality of what had happened was too horrible for her to face.  
A glass clinked against her teeth as her lips unconsciously parted, and Remus held the glass steady as water trickled down her throat.  
"Come on, 'Mione. You need to tell us what happened." Harry's voice urged.  
She swallowed and tried to clear her dry throat. Her eyes, sticky from crying all night, fluttered open and she took in the scene before her. A bedraggled looking Remus was staring at her, his eyes filled with worry, as he set down the cup of the water. Harry stood behind him attempting to soothe the agitated child he held in his arms. Hermione averted her gaze, still mute. Remus' gentle voice coaxed her to tell him why she was acting so strangely and it took all of Hermione's strength to move her arm and point to the piece of parchment, that was lying in front of her.  
Harry gave Remus a glance as if to ask if he could read it. Remus nodded slightly and held his breath as Harry skimmed the letter. There was a slight pause. Then an inhuman sound escaped Harry's lips as his eyes widened in understanding.  
"Oh, Merlin! Please, no." He breathed, his eyes wet with unshed tears as he let the parchment fall to the floor.  
Remus rushed forward to take his son from Harry's shellshocked body. A roar ripped from Harry's chest as He whirled around and punched the wall. Over, and over again. His hands bloodied and face ablaze with rage. Hermione found herself moving towards Harry and wrapping her arms around his shivering body. Her head dropped onto his shoulder and his fury left his being with a resigned exhale. Then the crying started, and the heartbreaking sounds that Harry made as he mourned his best friends death, ripped Hermione apart even further. She found herself noticing the similar way Harry and Sirius handled grief. Fury then resignation.  
Remus confused and afraid snatched the now infamous letter from the tiled floor and read:

  
_Dear Miss Granger and Master Potter,_  
_It is with our deepest regrets, that we inform you of Ronald Weasley's untimely death. His body was found on the 8th of August in his dwellings in Romania. It is presumed that he was murdered, for dark magic was detected at the scene. An inquiry is pending, but I'm afraid that we are not at liberty to tell you anymore._  
_Justice will be served, and the good, will always prevail._  
_Hoping that you are well_  
_Sincerely, Percy Weasley_

  
Remus didn't know how to react. Where was Sirius? Did he know? Teddy started howling in his arms as if he understood the pain that was burrowing into the hearts of every person residing in Grimmauld Place.  
"It can't be..." He began, then felt himself fall to his knees, his child crushed protectively against his chest.  
"I thought it was over. I thought we had won." He breathed.  
"It's never over." Sirius' voice rasped as he entered the room.  
In three quick strides, he was at Remus' side, comforting the werewolf as the world they had thought existed shattered around them.  
It was Malfoy. There had been no trace of the pureblood family after the war. They were weak and untrustworthy and didn't hold even an ounce of the influence they had had before. But something in Hermione's gut told her that they were to blame. They were one of the only infamous death eaters that had survived. And Hermione herself had witnessed Lucius Malfoy's insatiable need for power. Lucius had built a life long reserve of bitterness and fury and that was enough to fuel anyone's bloodlust, to kill all the people that had humiliated him.  
Harry Potter had been the nut that no-one could crack, not even the 'Dark Lord' and Lucius didn't like being trumped by a wizard so much younger than him. Maybe, she mused over a glass of fire whisky that night, maybe, Lucius Malfoy was finally avenging the pain that had been inflicted upon him by Voldemort, by hurting all of the people that had fueled Voldemorts anger towards him. Or maybe he had finally fully succumbed to his dark side. He had always despised the Weasleys. Or maybe this was directed solely at Harry, to hurt him? Maybe, she was next?  
She downed her drink and felt it's warmth tingling in her chest. She would have to face the grief-stricken Weasleys soon. They had already lost so much. Now Ron. A sob threatened to choke her and she quickly poured herself another tumbler full. Harry had left for work, as usual, obviously trying to forget the tragedy by burying himself in his job. Remus was upstairs in the library, probably also drinking away his sorrow. Whilst, Sirius was in Teddy's nursery trying to soothe the poor child. Sirius outburst aside, he was being the strongest at the moment, trying to help his housemates navigate their grief, whilst he clenched his teeth and tried to carry on as usual.  
Ron had been a big part of all of their lives. He had never been the centre of attention. But he was always waiting at the sidelines. Always read to comfort, to help, to love. It was getting dark and she had been crying and drinking all day. She was pathetic, but she didn't care. She reeked of whisky and found that its effects were starting to take their toll. The only coherent thought she managed to formulate, was a promise to avenge Ron's death. No matter the cost.  
And then the whiskey really started to hit her petite body. She found herself getting up from the table and walking towards the door. Swaying and giggling as she made her way to the library. As she had suspected, Remus was sitting in an armchair a flask in his hand and his gaze distant.  
She staggered towards him and fell into his lap, laughing hysterically.  
"Hermione, ow! What are you-" He exclaimed waking from his drunken stupor.  
She ignored his words and instead captured his lips with hers. She kissed him hotly and desperately as her hands clawed at his shirt. He struggled slightly then relented, kissing her back with a similar passion. Finally, they broke apart, both of them gasping for air.  
"We can't. It's late and we're...quite intoxicated." Remus said, his words slurred.  
"Yeah, I-" She began but her eyes drifted shut and exhaustion hit her like a tidal wave.  
"Night, Tonks." He breathed into her hair.  
She didn't even notice his mistake as she drifted off to sleep.  
"Love you, Remus." She managed to mumble, and then she was gone.  
Fast asleep in the arms of a man she deeply adored.


	3. Chapter 3

A splitting headache penetrated her mind as she awoke.

She was sprawled across the armchair, Remus' body trapped underneath her's. His arms were wrapped around her stomach and his head was buried in the crook of her neck. She groaned inwardly. What the hell had happened last night? She rubbed her face and shuddered as a wave of nausea overcame her. She untangled herself from Remus' arms and raced to the bathroom, retching as she reached the toilet bowl. She cringed as the first hazy memories returned. She remembered the heated kiss she had shared with him and the way they had struggled to catch their breath.

_"Night, Tonks."_

She groaned and threw up. Remus had been so inebriated, that he had mistaken her for his deceased wife, Tonks. He wasn't over her. Of course, he bloody wasn't. She was the mother of his son. But it hurt. It hurt to recognise that she didn't stand a chance with him. She had unintentionally developed feelings for him and she realised with a jolt that she had been careless enough to blurt them out.

_"Love you, Remus."_

Merlin, what had she done? She wasn't meant to feel that way around him! Nor was she supposed to fantasize about Sirius, she gently reminded herself. Another wave of queasiness rolled over her, as an overwhelming mixture of emotions stirred up in her. She heard Remus clear his throat behind her. "Remus, please go away. I don't want you to see me like this." She moaned.

He ignored her request and kneeled down beside her, rubbing her back as she shuddered, unsure of whether she would throw up again.

"How are you feeling after last night?" He asked benevolently, his eyes solemn. She shook her head, as tears welled in her eyes.

"Well, one of my best friends is still dead and I'm pretty sure it was Lucius Malfoy who assassinated him-"

Remus froze.

"You think Lucius murdered Ron?" He asked doubtfully.

She shrugged then nodded, the pressure of the situation draining her already spare energy.

"And to top it all off, the man I love won't ever love me." She mumbled so low that he couldn't hear, after all, she didn't want to weigh him down with her self pity. She pushed herself away from the toilet and headed to the sink to rinse her mouth.

"Hermione?" Remus said quietly.

She gave him a reserved glance as she gurgled cold water in the back of her throat.

"Yeah?" She replied stiffly.

"I'm here to support you. Ron's death will be avenged." His voice spoke softly and threateningly.

But she knew that the threat wasn't aimed at her.

"Good."

And then she strolled out of the small lavatory and down the narrow staircase, into the kitchen. Remus' words had given her strength and she felt ready. Ready to make sure Ron hadn't died in vain.

"Wait. Why do you think Lucius killed Ron?" Sirius asked bluntly as she proposed her theory. They had just had dinner and she could almost feel the dangerous fire blazing in each of their chests. They had pushed their grief aside, it wouldn't help Ron, now would it? Instead, they sat at the wooden table, trying to think of what to do next. Harry was subdued as they talked, but at least he didn't walk out like the days before when the subject of Ron had been approached.

"It's obvious. In that deluded mind of his, he's decided that he wants to finish the task Voldemort started." Hermione hissed her eyes gleaming with a lust that Sirius had never seen before. Bloodlust?

"He wants to prove that he's more powerful than Voldemort ever was." Remus sighed, his head falling into his hands as he entertained this unpleasant thought.

"Guys!" Harry snarled abruptly. They looked to him, he was standing and his hands were trembling.

"We have no proof that the Malfoys have anything to do with this!" He yelled. Hermione bit her lip as she deliberated this essential fact.

"Ok, fine. But we will. I'm going to interrogate Draco tomorrow. He'll cooperate, after all, he's publicly disowned his family. Maybe he'll help us." She responded thoughtfully.

Sirius nodded enthusiastically, a child-like excitement entering his eyes. Even though the entire situation was beyond dreadful, he felt fulfilled as he realised that this was going to be a group effort.

"He's not going to betray his father. If his father even has anything to do with this. For Merlin's sake, Hermione, why would Lucius kill Ron?" Harry shouted exasperatedly. She ignored his resentment and took hold of his hands squeezing gently. Harry unwound ever so slightly.

"Because he wants to damage you. He wants to be the man to finally kill the boy who lived." She whispered.

Harry leant back in his chair, not ready to accept her accusation.

"The man's deranged. He was tortured by Tom Riddle and his family was slandered. But now he's found a purpose. And he won't have any difficulty finding followers. I hate to say it Harry, but not everyone is pleased with the fact that Voldemort was killed." Sirius added.

"Hermione, you question Draco tomorrow and do some digging. Then when you've found enough proof, you can arrest him. For Merlin's sake, isn't this why you became Aurors?" Remus concluded his voice tinged with irritation.

A wave of vicious anger flared up in Harry's forest green eyes.

"I did not plan on having to find my best friend's murderer, Remus! I thought I was done with avenging the people I cared about!" Sirius pulled Harry back down and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"But now that's exactly what you have to do. Harry, the war is never over. Buck up, Hermione needs you." Sirius murmured in his ear.

**Lucius' POV**

"Ronald Weasley is dead." He seethes, as he looks across the room.

His cold wife, Narcissa, looks up at him, her eyes distant and cool. The Carrow's are staring back at him, their faces eager as they await his next piece of information. Wormtail sits knelt down beside him, head bowed in admiration, or is it perhaps fear? Lucius feels alive as he gazes down at his followers. Gone is his lank blond hair, shaved so that he no longer replicates who he was before. He serves no one but himself. His eyes seem to have lost even more of their colour, his irises almost diluting to a greyish white. His face is thinner but his body is stronger, as is his mind. The dark mark has been cut out of his arm, leaving a puckered scar. He serves no-one, he recites once more.

"We're one step closer to killing the boy who lived and any other wizard, half-blood or mudblood that dares defy us!" He roars raising his arms, eliciting a deep cheer from his admirers.

"But, Lucius, not even the Dark Lord managed to end the boy's life." A hoarse voice murmurs from the onlookers.

His gaze narrows as he picks out one of his newest recruits. Pansy Parkinson. He chuckles dangerously and steps down from his podium. The crowd parts as he takes in the young woman's nervous form. Then his face leans in, his lips barely brushing her ear.

"The 'Dark Lord", he begins softly, "was a fool!" Finishing with a roar.

She shakes uncontrollably as he steps away.

"Lord Voldemort was a pathetic being. Incapable of killing a child in its crib! He disappointed us all and was incapable of fulfilling his promises. The Dark Lord is dead and will go down in history as a joke!" He called, smiling as the crowd started to titter nervously.

"I, however, swear by my already cursed soul, that I will end Harry Potter's life once and for all, and cleanse the wizarding world of the scum, also known as mudbloods." He yells, his dead eyes are ablaze.

"And how do you propose we get rid of 'em?" He hears Scabior's nasal voice inquire.

With a shake of the head and a patronising smile, he turns toward the Snatcher. "I propose we slaughter the entire muggle population until the world subsists entirely of purebloods." He hisses. Scabior swallows, quickly averting his gaze.

"All hail Lucius!" A voice suddenly cries, and the phrase is quickly chorused by the rest of the following. Lucius grins and beckons to Narcissa to join him. Her heels clack over the roar of the audience, as she steps towards him. Her slim body is encased in a beautiful raven dress and her hair tied into an intricate knot, revealing her stunning, lean face. He grabs hold of her head and crushes his lips against hers for all to see. The shouts of his followers increase in volume, and he smirks as he pushes her away from him.

His eyes can't help but notice the painfully empty spot beside him, where his son, Draco, used to stand.


	4. Chapter 4

"How are you feeling." He asked as he fastened the cloak she had wrapped around her shoulders. She had ironed her Auror robes and spent nearly an hour battling with her frizzy hair. She sighed and shrugged.  
"Nervous, I guess."  
Harry smiled warmly, then wrapped his arms around her.  
"I'm sorry about yesterday." He mumbled. She smiled slightly and pulled away.  
"Don't be." She said, looking directly into his eyes.  
She could see him struggling as he tried to formulate his words. He cleared his throat and looked down at his fidgeting hands.  
"It's just-" He began, then exhaled in frustration and turned away slightly. She placed a hand onto his shoulder, trying to calm his scatterbrained thoughts.  
"Why Ron?" He burst out, his voice was tight as he held back his tears. She didn't speak, this time she found herself speechless.  
"I mean, we already lost Mad-Eye, Tonks, Fred, Cedric, Severus, hell we even lost Lavender!" He exclaimed. He was becoming agitated once more.  
"But Ron was supposed to stay. No matter what! I mean- I-" His words dwindled as he tried to get a hold of himself.  
"I know." Was all she managed. He gave her another quick hug, then sent her on her way to the ministry. After all, she had a job to do.

The Ministry was crowded that Monday morning and she found herself checking her watch every two minutes, to make sure she was still on time. She had a plan. It wasn't a very good one but it would have to do.  
Every morning she had observed Draco Malfoy step out of his office and order a drink from the coffee cart, then he would step back into his office, grab his cloak and head off. Draco Malfoy had become an Auror, and Hermione knew the daily calls all too well. He barely even had time to sit down in his office and just relax. She wanted to catch him before he left the building. She had two more minutes. Now, completely disregarding her attempts to keep a tidy appearance, she pushed through the crowd, her hair flying in all directions and her robes crinkling as she ran.  
She reached Malfoy's office just as he was closing the door behind him. He didn't notice her and started to make his way towards the elevator.  
"Draco!" She cried, trying desperately to grab hold of his robes. He whirled around as she clutched thin air and tumbled to the ground. He offered his hand to help her up, a perplexed expression on his tired face. She grabbed it gratefully and let him pull her to her feet.  
"Hermione?" He asked sceptically.  
"I need to talk to you." She panted. He nodded stiffly, then unlocked his office again and led them inside. She smiled gratefully and took a chair next to his desk.  
"So tell me, what's all this about?" He queried. She took a deep breath and began.  
"As you might have heard, or read-" She said, her voice thin as she swallowed the tears that threatened to fall. Now was not the time.  
"Ron- Ron's dead." She finished. He blanched, then leaned back into his chair, a defeated look entering his pale grey eyes.  
"Oh Merlin, Hermione, I'm so sorry." He breathed. She had never seen him so open before, nor had she thought that he would care.  
She nodded quickly, trying to stay focused.  
"I need your help." She continued. He nodded vigorously.  
"Of course, anything!"  
She swallowed and looked at him. Her hand clenching and unclenching in her lap.  
"I-we suspect that he was murdered by a death eater, well an ex-death eater. And I know that the Ministry is going to make its own inquiries, but the Minister is not going to want to disturb the peace of the wizarding world, therefore, his death will be brushed under the rug. I'm sure of it, Draco!" She gushed, feeling herself get agitated as she spoke.  
He looked confused, then nodded slightly.  
"And how do you suppose I can be of help?" He asked quietly. She paused slightly but didn't want to unsettle him any further.  
"Draco, where is your father?" She breathed. He froze, looking taken aback as he processed her blunt question.  
"Why do you ask?" He couldn't help shooting back, unable to keep the defensive tone out of his voice.  
"It was him and his cronies, wasn't it? Draco, he's planning something isn't he?"  
He didn't answer, his jaw clenched and his eyes hard.  
"I. Don't. Know." He snarled. She stood abruptly, inraged by his refusal to answer her question.  
"Ron is dead, Malfoy, and I know your father is to blame. How can you want to protect him after that? How can you still respect him?" She cried, colour flooding her face as she stared at him. He stood, too, never had she seen him so livid.  
"My father is a fool and a coward! I have already publicly made my relationship with my family very clear. I do not in any way condone his ideas and actions." He hissed.  
She scoffed and made her way to the door, feeling hopeless once more.  
"Hermione, I swear I don't know where he is! If I did, I would tell you." He said, his voice laced with regret.  
"Draco, I need you to tell me about his plans." She murmured, facing him once more. He hesitated for a few seconds, she could see his internal war raging. With a resigned sigh, he opened his mouth to speak.  
"He wants to kill Harry Potter and the entire muggle population." He whispered.  
She knew it. She had known it all along, but still hearing the words spoken out loud made her seize up with fear.  
"Why?" She asked urgently.  
Draco gave a dry laugh, it sounded more like a bark.  
"He wants to exceed Voldemort. He wants to be the one who killed the boy who lived."

She fled the office, trying hard to grasp Draco's words. Okay, so she still had no evidence but she had the confirmation of a viable source. Now all she had to do was convince Draco to testify in front of the wizarding court. Hopefully, they'd be able to get this inquiry started before Lucius managed to accomplish his bloody mission.  
With a frustrated inhale she marched towards her office, ready to face the day's challenges. She checked her memos and saw that Harry had sent her something. She unfolded the piece of parchment charmed so that it looked like a fluttering dove.

 _Where are you?_  
 _We have to leave in five minutes._  
 _The_ Bucksley _arrest is today!_  
 _\- Harry_

  
She groaned, immediately grabbing her wand and cloak. She had completely forgotten about the Bucksley case. Corbyn Bucksley was a pureblood wizard, recruiting all kinds of muggles to experiment on. He was a cruel being and Hermione had been horrified when they had found the tortured and mutilated children and grown-ups. He had abused his magical abilities and they were going to serve justice. However, he had escaped when they had raided his house. An anonymous source had told them that he was hiding in Scotland. Today was the day they planned on arresting him and Hermione felt terrible for forgetting such an important event.  
Ron might be dead, but that didn't mean she could abandon her duties as an Auror. She sprinted towards the elevator and when she arrived in the foyer, she saw that the entire crew was waiting. She apologised profusely for being late, then thanked Harry for reminding her about the arrest. He gave her a sceptical look but smiled slightly, and then they apparated.  
They had villains to catch.

"Merlin, you look terrible, 'Mione!" Sirius exclaimed as she and Harry entered the kitchen. Sirius was holding Teddy in his arms and simultaneously drinking a glass of wine. She gave him a disapproving look as he took a long sip. Alcohol and babies were never a good combination. He winked at her as she took Teddy from him.  
"Hello, my beautiful boy." She cooed as his bright hazel eyes gazed up at her. She straightened up and saw Remus leaning against the kitchen counter. He smiled at her, blushing slightly. Obviously their encounter last night wasn't yet forgotten. She beamed up at him, trying to communicate that there was nothing to be awkward about.  
"Sirius is right you know. You look awful." Remus said in that soft, yet authoritative voice of his. She shrugged. She knew that she looked a sight. She had a cut lip, caused by Bucksley as she had tried to contain him, and a blossoming black eye, also caused by that bastard, when she had tried to take his wand from him. Harry wrapped an arm around Hermione.  
"She was incredible today! You know the Bucksley case? She was the one who was finally arrested him!" Harry said animatedly as he recalled the day's events.  
"Shut up, Harry! You're the one who saved Ginny from his bloody cruciatus curse!" She retaliated, embarrassed by his praise. They smiled at each other, but Sirius was suddenly serious.  
"Harry, don't be reckless like that." He chided. Harry looked affronted by his godfather's warning. Hermione squeezed his shoulder and made her way towards the sink. She grabbed a clean handtowel and let cool water run over it.  
"Here, let me." Remus murmured as he took the towel from her and placed it on her bruised eye. She let him. His warm hands were a nice contrast to the freezing water trickling down her cheek. They stood like that for a long time, whilst Teddy slept in her arms.  
"You look like a little family." Sirius laughed. Harry couldn't help but grin at Sirius' comment. The two of them flushed and parted quickly. Hermione gave Teddy to Remus and grabbed the towel, not ready to give up the relief she felt at its cool touch.  
"So, who's making supper tonight?" She asked, trying not to show how she had let Sirius' comment affect her. She couldn't allow herself to fantasize about having a family with Remus. He was forbidden fruit. After Sirius had reluctantly offered to make baked beans on toast, his speciality, she left the room, desperate to put a little distance between herself and Remus.

There was absolutely no point in letting herself get carried away by school girl fantasies.

  
**Scabior's POV**

  
"Where is the mudblood?" His voice drawls. Charlie Weasley averts his gaze but keeps his bloodied lips sealed. Scabior chuckles darkly and takes hold of his chin, yanking the Weasley's head so that he's forced to stare at him. Scarlett blood trickles down his chin as he struggles against his restraints.  
"Believe me, Weasley, it would be best for you and your family if you just told me where Granger is." Scabior snarls. Charlie shakes his head in refusal. Scabior exhales in mock regret, then draws his wand and points it at his chest.  
"Last chance." He singsongs. His hostage stays infuriatingly silent.  
"Crucio!" He roars abruptly, causing Charlie to scream and writhe as his body contorts in pain.  
"Tell me." He growls. The red-haired man doesn't answer as he continues to howl, tears streaming down his suntanned, freckled face.  
"Please, I-I don't know." He cries. Scabior sighs gazing at his trembling victim. Charlie's shrieks reach a new pitch and Scabior watches with delight as something in his face snaps.  
"Grimmauld Place. Sirius Black's house!" He gasps his voice hoarse. Scabior immediately lowers his wand.  
"Now that wasn't that hard, was it, Weasley?" He asks pleasantly, kicking his limp body aside as he heads towards the door of Charlie's meagre dwellings.  
"Pathetic." He spits as he steps into the blinding sun of Romania.

  
_Grimmauld Place. Lucius will be pleased._


	5. Chapter 5

She shook her head trying to relieve herself of the memory, but even when she shut her eyes the image burnt into her eyelids.

  
She was sitting in the library, her head in her hands as her entire body quivered. She willed herself to make the flashback stop but it was pointless.  
She sobbed softly as the memory continued to play out.

  
_"Hermione Granger." A cold voice sneers. She whirls around, cautioning Ron and Harry that someone is following them._   
_"Malfoy." She replies stiffly. Ron has his arm curled around her waist in an overly protective manner and she reminds herself that she needs to talk to him when they get home._   
_"Ah, Weasley and Potter! What a pleasant surprise. It's not every day that one gets to witness the dynamic trio." He scorns taking an unnecessary step towards them. Ron backs up slightly, allowing Hermione to disentangle herself from him._   
_"What do you want?" Harry spits, his eyes filled with disgust and fury. Lucius chuckles as he eyes Harry, his mouth curved into his notorious smirk._   
_"I'm afraid that if I told you I'd have to kill you." He replies patronizingly._   
_Before any of them have time to react, he grabs Hermione by the arm and crushes her against his chest, his arm around her throat and his wand pointing at her temple. She curses inaudibly as she realizes that they are in an unfrequented street, not a single being in sight._   
_Ron bellows in fury and rushes towards Malfoy, but before he's able to throw his first punch, Lucius has paralyzed him with a flick of his wand. Harry freezes, the older man's wand is driven painfully into Hermione's pale, sweating forehead._   
_"You see, I have to arrange something very important but recently I' ve been feeling a little uninspired." He says airily. Hermione tries to wriggle free from his grip but his arms are like a vice._   
_He removes his wand from her temple and instead lowers it to the sleeve of her shirt. His movements are slow and deliberate as he pulls the material away from her arm, revealing the scar Bellatrix Lestrange engraved into her skin whilst she was being tortured._   
_Mudblood, it says._   
_Harry looks helpless as Malfoy's wand traces the scar. He's doing something that ignites a fire under Hermione's skin, making her throw her head back and scream in pain. His face is contorted in sick entertainment as he watches her writhe, but soon he's bored._   
_"Shut up," Lucius growls, pushing her away from him, causing her to collapse to the floor, her face pressed against the hard ground._   
_"I see my sister in law left you a souvenir." He mocks, straightening his cloak as she scrambles to her feet, Harry's arms encircling her as she moves towards him. Lucius sneers at her, his eyes alight with hatred._   
_"My dear, I feel obliged to thank you. Showing mudbloods like you what they're really worth has invigorated me once more." He states, then with a flick of his cloak he turns on his heel deflecting the hex Harry sends his way._   
_"Your next, Weasley." He snarls, kicking Ron's paralyzed form, as he passes._   
_When he's finally out of sight. Hermione rushes towards her friend's, well technically boyfriend's, limp body and casts a spell that thaws Ron's limbs._   
_"Merlin, are you alright, 'Mione?" Harry asks worriedly, his eyes wide and his nostrils flaring._   
_"Yes." She answers stiffly, helping Ron to his feet._   
_"Are you sure?" Ron presses. She gives him a quick look over to see if any other damage has been caused but he seems fine._   
_"I don't want to talk about it." She snaps, her face burning with humiliation and the lingering pain of her arm._   
_Before the boys can react, she flounces off, Harry and Ron following, perplexed looks upon their faces._

  
She exhaled slowly as the memory finally receded. The encounter with Malfoy wasn't the thing that scared her. On the contrary, she had survived much worse than him and his sadistic ways. It was the threat that lingered, which terrified her so.  
He had threatened Ron and made his opinion on muggleborns quite clear.

  
_Your next Weasley._

Now even Draco, Lucius' only son, had confirmed her suspicions. Lucius was a cruel human being that she didn't doubt. However, one small question had niggled its way into her mind and refused to leave.  
Why kill someone as insignificant as Ron? Why not go straight for Harry?  
Not that Ron had been unimportant to her. Not at all! He had been one of the people she cared most about. But when she forced herself to look at the situation with a wider perspective she couldn't help but wonder why Lucius would waste his time with such a petty murder?  
Hadn't he made things unnecessarily complicated? Hermione and the others now had time to investigate the murder and prove his guilt. If he had killed Harry first, the entire wizarding world would have crumbled together in panic and dread.  
But what if, by killing Ron he thought that he could break Harry. Maybe he thought that he could make Harry beg for Lucius to kill him. After all, Harry had lost so much. What if, Lucius was going to slaughter Harry's loved ones one by one until he had nothing to live for.

  
Dropping the book she had been holding in her lap she pushed herself off from the sofa and left the library. Her head was buzzing from her overthinking and she needed to calm down before she exploded. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't see Sirius barreling towards her.  
It was too late for her to move out of the way and the two of them collided. The impact threw Hermione off balance and she crumpled to the floor.  
"Oh, Merlin! Hermione, are you OK?" Sirius' distressed voice called as he helped her to her feet. This had been the second time in a week that she had made a complete arse of herself. Blushing she apologized to Sirius, but he shrugged it off.  
"My fault. I didn't look where I was going." He said in a firm voice, making it clear that he didn't want her to feel bad. A soft bruise was blossoming on his forehead and Hermione felt terrible but didn't press the matter.  
"What's the hurry anyway?" She asked lightly even though her backside hurt like hell. This time it was Sirius' turn to blush. His eyes had a child-like excitement in them and she held back a smile. He looked twenty years younger when he smiled.  
"I wanted to show Harry the new broom I brought him as an overdue birthday surprise. After all, I missed his birthday last year and well the year before and basically every birthday he's had so far..." He trailed off, his eyes distant and she could tell that he was remembering his period in Azkaban as well as the years he had spent trapped behind the veil. She could see the guilt spreading across his face and she decided she needed to intervene quickly.  
"Well, I think to let him live here and buying him stupidly expensive gifts every few weeks has made up for your lack of presence before." She scoffed. Sirius grinned and shrugged.  
"Jealous, are we?" He mused. She slapped his arm playfully.  
"No! Of course not! I just think you're spoiling him rotten. He refused to come camping with me this summer because he 'doesn't see the point in living like cavemen. Honestly, you wouldn't think he hid out in the wilderness for almost a year." She ranted, smiling inwardly. Harry deserved extra care. He'd been through too much.  
"Sounds like a personal problem." Sirius laughed, already moving past her and jogging up the stairs, the broom shaped package clearly visible. However, just before he was out of sight she glimpsed a sight of the paperless handle of the broom. She froze.  
She could've sworn she saw the word 'Ronald' engraved in the dark, mahogany wood as well as the date '8th of August, 1999'. This small gesture made hot tears pool in her eyes and she hurried downstairs, quickly wiping them with the back of her hand. She had to be strong. If not for herself, then for Ron, Harry and all of the other people she loved.

The mood was tense at the dinner table as Hermione served up her favourite casserole. Harry seemed happy enough, chatting with Sirius about his new broom. Hermione was pleased to see Harry have one evening where the death of his friend didn't weigh him down as it had the days before. Soon she realized what was causing the melancholy feeling in the air.  
Tomorrow was the day that they would visit the Weasleys. Ginny was coping and working harder than ever, but the other members of the pureblood family had been silent until now. Of course, the residents of Grimmauld Place had immediately sent their condolences but had decided against visiting straight away. The family needed time to mourn.  
"We're driving to the Burrow tomorrow," Remus said abruptly. Hermione looked at him in surprise.  
"Why would we do that?" Harry asked, sensing the heavy air.  
"We don't know how powerful Lucius is. I'm not saying he's as strong as Voldemort was but he's definitely clever enough to infiltrate the floo network." He explained haughtily.  
"Remus, I'm not going to live my life in fear of what Lucius Malfoy plans on doing next. If he somehow manages to find me, I'll be ready." She replied with just as much conviction.  
"Lucius isn't Voldemort. He's not immortal. He's just a bloody wizard like you and me. We'll apparate tomorrow, oK?" Sirius chimed in. Harry nodded in agreement. Remus' face became even more irritated and without saying another word he stood up and departed from the room.  
Harry and Hermione looked at each other in apprehension and confusion.  
"It's close to the full moon. He's feeling a bit on edge." Sirius explained.  
Hermione nodded slightly and continued to eat. The rest of the meal was spent in complete silence.

  
No more crying, she told herself as she slipped into the inky blue dress she had found in the back of her wardrobe. She didn't own a black dress, so she had opted for the darkest and most modest one she had. She ran a brush through her wild curls and applied a hint of makeup. Enough to his her red eyes and blotchy skin from crying all night.  
She hadn't been able to sleep at first and when she was finally able to slip under, she had been plagued by nightmares. Nightmares in which Ron was brutally murdered in front of her and the Weasley family followed her with ghost-like faces, crying and screaming the entire time. Then in her dream, she had jumped and relived the time where Bellatrix had tortured her. That dream stayed with her most nights.  
She had awoken clammy with sweat and shaking with fear. Thank Merlin, she slept in the room closest to the attic. She hoped Sirius nor Remus had heard her. She didn't worry about Harry hearing, after all, he experienced the worst dreams of them all and nearly every night she could hear him talking and struggling in his sleep.  
She struggled with the zipper of her dress, unable to reach it and with a frustrated sigh left her room to search for one of her housemates.

  
She found Remus in the hallway. He was leaning against the wall, his face in his hands. His entire frame was trembling and silent sobs wracked his body. Without thinking she walked towards him and wrapped her arms around him. He didn't struggle for one second, instead, he let her support him for once.  
When his crying finally subsided she pulled back, giving him space to breathe. He smiled gratefully, his magnificent hazel coloured eyes sparkling with repressed tears and his body still shivering.  
"Merlin, I'm sorry. You weren't supposed to see me like this." He muttered, sniffing a few times. She shook her head.  
"You're allowed to be sad, Professor." She replied. He groaned slightly, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.  
"Don't call me that, please, Hermione." He implored. She laughed, then looked at him solemnly. They stared at each other for a long while. And her thoughts, inevitably, drifted back to Ron and all the things she was unsure of at the moment. It was enough to make anyone break down.  
"It's scary, isn't it?"  
All he could do was nod and pull her back into his arms. He knew that she was referring to Ron's death.  
"Remus." She mumbled into his shoulder. He took a step back and looked at her. She smiled bashfully and turned around.  
"Can you zip me up, please?" She asked.  
He nodded instantly and with practised hands closed her dress. He took in her elegant appearance for a little longer than was necessary. Then mentally shaking himself, took hold of her hand and led her downstairs, where Sirius and Harry were already waiting. Teddy was cradled in Sirius' arms.  
"Time to go," Sirius announced, each of them grabbing hold of one another and with a click, they apparated to the Burrow  
Hermione noticed that Remus was holding her hand a little tighter than was necessary.

  
She stumbled as they arrived in the warm interior of the Weasleys house. Molly Weasley was the first to greet them. Her eyes were tired and raw from crying, but she put on a brave face as she embraced her guests. Hermione hugged her nonbiological mother with all of her strength and swallowed the tears that threatened to fall.  
No more crying.  
Next Ginny rushed towards her, wrapping her arms around Hermione and thanking her for coming. Hermione and Ginny had seen each other at the Bucksley arrest but Hermione realized then that she hadn't been very helpful or approachable on the whole Ron matter.  
She needed to spend some quality time with her best friend. Maybe the two of them could have a heart to heart later on in the evening.  
Arthur greeted them warmly, but it was obvious that he was struggling to keep himself together. Hermione's heart wrenched as she thought about what Molly and Arthur were going through. First Fred and now Ron.  
George greeted her with a tearful hug, and Hermione had never felt so protective of the roguish twin. Fred's absence was obvious in the Burrow as well as Ron's.  
Hermione looked around as they sat down at the table. Remus sat down beside her and Ginny took the chair on Hermione's other side. Bill was standing in the corner, drink in hand and an arm wrapped around his wife, Fleur. He looked weak but he seemed to be managing.  
"Where's Charlie?" She asked abruptly. Molly, who had been setting the table turned around and looked at Hermione, her eyes gleaming with fear.  
"We haven't heard from him. He was staying with Ron in Romania, they were working together on some project." Molly explained, then her face crumpled and she quickly turned away.  
"We don't know where Charlie is. We think something's happened to him." Arthur finished his voice heavy with worry.  
There was a dejected silence.  
"Charlie knows how to look out for himself. He'll be home soon, I'm sure of it." Bill said quietly out of the corner. Molly nodded determinedly and carried on with her cooking, a grim determination entering her eyes.  
When the food had finally been served, they sat talking quietly and gently. Each person taking comfort from the people around them.  
"We've decided to wait another while before there's an actual funeral. We haven't been able to get a hold of his...body. The ministry is safeguarding it for the time being. They want to find out whom the dark magic belonged to that was flowing through his veins when he was...recovered." Arthur told them as they tucked into molly's delicious banoffee pie.  
Hermione had to hold back a scoff. The Ministry was probably removing the dark magic from Ron's body just to prove that there was nothing to be worried about. She had begged the Minister through several letters to start an investigation into Lucius Malfoy. She had even gotten Draco Malfoy to sign a contract in which he promised to testify against his father when the time came. They needed to nip this in the bud before Lucius had time to strengthen his following. But the Minister refused. Well, his secretary did. Apparently, the Minister himself was too important to reply to her letters.  
She was brought back to the present when Remus' hand brushed over her leg, signalling to her that someone had asked her something.  
"Sorry, I-" She began, flustered as she saw her friends' expectant faces. Arthur chuckled lightly and repeated his question.  
"I asked if Teddy was behaving himself."  
She blushed and nodded, gazing at Teddy's tiny body in Ginny's arms. Remus gave her an encouraging smile.  
"Well he takes after his father, so obviously he's a sweetheart. He barely cries and he's a really quick learner. He has Remus' eyes."  
Then she paused, trying to formulate her feelings for the little child.  
"And I love him, I love him as if he were my own." She gushed then shut up when she saw Ginny giggling. Remus looked at her in bewilderment and she quickly averted her gaze.  
She was rambling and embarrassing herself. Teddy was Tonks and Remus' child, not hers. The room was silent and everyone looked a little uncomfortable. She cleared her throat and excused herself, retreating into the garden.

  
She wrapped her arms around her torso as the cooling summer air hit her. God, why did she have to be so stupid? Low voices conversed in the Burrow, but she couldn't discern what they were talking about.  
Remus didn't want her. She couldn't overstep any boundaries, it wouldn't be fair on him. Embarrassed tears stung her eyes as she looked across the fields of green. A slinky red fox, brushed against her leg as she stood there and disappeared into the undergrowth. She watched mournfully as it lumbered away.  
"Hermione?" A soft voice asked as she heard footsteps behind her.  
"Remus, not now, OK? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say all of those things out loud." She said her voice thick with tears. Remus didn't speak as he walked up behind her.  
"I know he's not my child." She added.  
"Hermione." Was all he said in a tone that made her feel like she was back in his classroom at Hogwarts.  
She stiffened as he wrapped his arms around her waist, then she relaxed slightly letting her head rest on his shoulder.  
"I love you for how much you do for my son. I couldn't have been there for him after Tonks' death if it hadn't been for you."  
She could already hear the rejection in his voice and her heart raced in anticipation.  
"But, Hermione, I can't-" He began, but a loud bang erupted from the dining room and Mrs Weasley's voice raised in anger drifted outside.

As it turned out, George had caused a minor explosion with another of his experiments, causing Fleur's hair to turn bright orange and the dessert they had been eating to splatter across the entire dining room. It was comforting to see George continue to be his old self and the family to react the way they had always done, but the interruption had kept Remus from telling her something.  
Something that she was convinced she didn't want to hear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, btw I'm going to try and post at least two chapters a week, maybe a few more if I manage to do so  
> (So maybe one on Thursday and one on Sunday. I'm not sure yet.)
> 
> Anyway, I really hope you've enjoyed it so far!


	6. Chapter 6

The evening ended not soon after.

Hermione was on edge, unable to stop thinking about what Remus had wanted to tell her. However, Harry and Sirius seemed quite mellow for such a sombre occasion. It was as if talking about Ron's death had lifted the pressure off of everyone's chests.  
They arrived back at Grimmauld Place, all of them fully sated and drowsy, but before Hermione could return to her room, and cringe furthermore about her rash words, Remus gently took hold of her arm and led her into the dimly lit library.  
She looked up at him, her eyes glowing and her heart thumping.   
"What's the matter?" Hermione inquired, her voice weary. Remus swallowed once, running a hand through his sandy hair.   
"I-I wanted to conclude our conversation from earlier on." He said composedly, sitting down on the settee and drawing her down beside him. His scars were curiously beautiful in the candlelight, and his eyes were darker than they had been in the sunlight. She didn't reply, instead, she looked down at her hands. Her dress was wrinkled by now and her hair was a singular mess, and all she wanted to do at that moment was take a hot shower and fall asleep in her bed.  
"I cannot be with you, Hermione." He murmured, taking hold of her hands. She revelled in the feeling of his rough, warm skin touching hers.  
"I'm well aware of that Lupin." She said a little colder than she had intended.   
He deliberated for a moment, then without him realising what he was doing, he moved closer to her, his knee grazing hers.  
"Please, Hermione-" He began, but she glowered at him.  
"What? 'It's not you, it's me?'" Frustrated tears pricked her eyes, and she wiped them furiously with the back of her hand. She stood up and made for the door, but he grasped her hand so that she was forced to turn back towards him.  
"You don't know what you'd be getting yourself into! Hermione, I wouldn't wish myself on my worst enemy." He blurted, his eyes wide with pain. She scoffed loudly.  
"I'm so tired of your pathetic self-loathing. I know you still see me as a silly schoolgirl, Lupin, but I sure as hell know how I feel about you! You don't get to decide if someone falls in love with you or not." She shouted, getting angrier by the second. He looked taken aback and for a minute he was incapable of responding.   
She exhaled slowly then gazed up at him, her anger replaced by resignation.  
"But, that also means that I don't get to decide how you feel about me. Remus, I love you, but in no way shape or form do I expect the same of you. I decided to look after Teddy because you are my friend. My love for your son doesn't come with conditions." She said softly.   
What happened next was unexpected and took her by surprise.   
Remus leaned forward and suddenly his tender lips were caressing hers. She melted into his embrace, unsure if she should allow this. He was probably doing this out of sympathy. They would both regret this in the morning. But she couldn't get herself to stop. His tongue tried to gain entrance and she gave it willingly. Her hands wandered over his back and he pulled her even closer to his strong body.  
Finally, he pulled away, leaving her breathless.  
"I can't promise- I still-" He began to say, but she placed a finger over his mouth. He didn't speak, his eyes were caught in her deep coffee-coloured orbs and they stood like that for an eternity.  
"You don't have to do anything. It's fine." She whispered sadly.   
He let go of her hand and she squeezed his shoulder gently before exiting the room. Once she was lying in her bed she let her tears finally fall, sobs making her body rock as she clutched her pillow.  
 _No more crying._

"Lovely morning, eh, 'Mione?" Sirius said brightly as she entered the kitchen the next day.   
She was late for work and in absolutely no condition to pretend she was a morning person. She merely nodded in his direction and poured herself a cup of coffee. She heard Sirius clear his throat behind her and she turned to look at him. He peered over his daily prophet and gave her an odd look.  
"Are you feeling alright?" He asked.   
"Yes, I feel great." She uttered sarcastically.  
He paused for less than a moment, then looked at her sincerely.  
"Hermione, I'm here if you need to speak to someone." He murmured.  
She hesitated, unsure if he was being serious, then nodded appreciatively.  
"I might just take you up on that offer." She muttered, forbidding herself from letting her voice break. She needed to keep it together. She had done the right thing yesterday when talking to Remus. Sirius smiled slightly, then returned back to his newspaper. She drank her coffee in less than three gulps and bit into an apple, grabbing her coat and bag simultaneously. Harry hated it when she wasn't on time.  
She gave Sirius a halfhearted wave then hurried into the hallway, tactfully manoeuvring past Remus as he came down the stairs, not giving him the chance to greet her.  
She opened the front door and walked straight into Harry. He gave her a slightly irritated look, but then he saw her messy hair and exhausted expression and resolved to let the matter drop.  
"You're usually never late." She could've sworn she heard him mutter. She straightened her robes and took a hold of his outstretched arm.   
"Let's go." She stated, staring straight ahead. Harry gave her a short nod and off they went.   
Work didn't wait, not even for the golden duo.

  
**Remus POV**

  
"Merlin's beard, Remus, why on earth are you in such a foul mood?" Sirius exclaimed, his voice exasperated as Remus sank down into the chair beside him. He had dark rings under his eyes and his face was haggard and clammy.  
Remus gave him a sarcastic glare, and Sirius rolled his eyes.  
"Except for the fact that you'll be turning into a monstrous killer in the next few days," Sirius appended.  
"Sirius, please forgive me for saying so, but I don't feel like talking about my concerns with you at the moment."   
Sirius sneered slightly and took another huge gulp of his fourth coffee that morning.  
"First Hermione comes down here looking like her puppy died and now you!" He said exasperatedly. Remus glared, why did Sirius have to be so alert in the morning?  
Remus didn't reply and he ignored the watery fried egg Sirius had placed before him. He found Sirius' cooking hard to bare even on the best of days.  
"Has this got something to do with what she said yesterday at the Burrow?" Sirius pressed, leaning over the table. Remus glared at him with such hostility that Sirius hesitated for a bit before continuing with his inquiries.  
"Remus, she loves you, you can't change that. She probably feels just as bewildered as you do."   
"I don't need you to tell me how she feels, Black." Remus spat. The animagus looked wounded but quickly regained his composure.  
"I know that it's been hard for you, Moony. I know that you loved Tonks. But don't you think that you're ready to move on. After all, I'm sure it's what she would have wanted. She loved you too, Remus. She always wanted you to be happy." Sirius spoke quietly.  
"Don't pretend like you have the slightest idea of what it feels like to lose someone you love." Remus seethed, straightening up, his hands gripping the edge of the table.  
This time Sirius looked enraged as he sprang from his seat, his eyes ablaze with shock and indignance.  
"You bastard! Don't you dare act like I haven't suffered loss! You're not the only one who lost James and Lily! You're not the only one who has lost his family and friends!" Sirius exploded. Remus, surprised by his friend's temper, took a step back.  
"I can't help if you've decided to give up any hope of finding contentment in your future. That's your choice. But this time, you're pulling Hermione down with you: This time you're not the only one who's hurting." Sirius continued, his voice quieter now but still laced with menace.  
"Padfoot, you know I can't be with her. I'd only hurt her even more by letting her enter a relationship with me. She has to get over me, and I swear she'll find it easier than you think."   
Sirius shook his head and pressed his forefinger against Remus' chest.  
"You are one of the most pathetic people I've ever known. If only James was here, he'd kick you right in the arse." He grumbled to himself then looked Remus undeviatingly in the eyes, "Moony, this is your opportunity to find love again. Merlin, I'd take Hermione in a heartbeat, but she loves you and only you. So for your sake and mine, let her have you."  
"I don't know how to let her love me. Sirius, I still love Tonks, I can't do that to Hermione."  
"In what world is a man incapable of loving more than one person? Hermione knows that you will always treasure Tonks, but that doesn't mean that you can't be happy with each other." Sirius said.  
Finally, Remus let his words sink in. His friend gave him a gracious smile and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.  
"For Merlin's sake, Lupin, she's already accepted your cub as her own. She's the perfect woman." Sirius said, the irritation in his voice replaced by amusement.  
"Oi, no-one said anything about marriage!" Remus exclaimed, before pulling away from his surrogate brother and cracking up with laughter.   
"How about a proper drink?" Sirius asked as the tension had completely left the room. Remus nodded and smiled appreciatively as Sirius poured him a tumbler of fire whisky.  
Sirius clinked glasses with Remus and gave him his signature wink.  
"To love." Sirius murmured. Remus paused then echoed him in surrender.  
"To love."

**Hermione's POV**

"What do you mean?" She asked blankly, sitting in the conference room. Harry sat opposite her and Ginny sat on her left side.   
Kingsley had just concluded updating them on the current situation.  
"The Minister refuses to see sense, he's blaming it on the drought." Shacklebolt proceeded in that rumbling voice of his.  
"An entire bloody village is burnt to a bloody crisp and all the Minister bloody says, is that it's the climate's bloody fault?" Ginny cried in outrage. Hermione couldn't help the swell of respect she felt for her friend. She'd always been the most eloquent of her siblings. Kingsley, however, overlooked her rant and observed the room. Ten Aurors were sitting in the mahogany stools, around a hardwood table, quietly listening to the conveyor of bad news.  
"So clearly, this was a crime committed by ex-death eaters. I mean it's a direct attack on muggles. The message is loud and clear." Hermione's colleague, Agatha Whittleby, stated in her soothing, Scottish lilt. The room was hushed as Shacklebolt shrugged then agreed.  
"I've said this numerous times, but I suspect Lucius Malfoy. He's made his views on muggle's very apparent and now that Voldemort's dead, he finally has the opportunity to fulfil his wishes in any way he sees fit." Hermione said composedly.   
The eyes of her colleagues immediately turned to her and Harry nodded reluctantly, before saying:  
"I think it wouldn't hurt to at least examine Lucius a little more thoroughly than we initially intended to."   
Kingsley sighed and gave the others a questioning look.  
"Who else recognises Granger and Potter's suspicions?" He inquired.   
Ginny promptly raised her hand, and as Kingsley gestured to her neighbour she held up her hand, making him halt, then nod.  
"The reason I see Lucius as a legitimate suspect is that when the war was over I had the displeasure of meeting him in the leaky cauldron. He was needlessly rude and obnoxious as usual, but then things took a more sinister turn. He... well he threatened Harry and told me of his plans to slaughter every muggle on the face of the earth. At first, I thought nothing of it and decided he was being his usual loudmouthed, narcissistic self, but then Ron... died and well, now this..." Ginny trailed off.   
Kingsley merely gave a nod of his head and continued with the vote. Swiftly a lot more hands were raised.  
"I see, well, that makes things a whole lot more straightforward. The problem is that the Minister refuses to support us in any way. He hasn't forbidden us from doing anything, but without being fully upheld by the Ministry, we'll have to work in constant secrecy and can't let anything slip about our inquiries." Kingsley declared.  
"But doesn't the wizarding population have the bloody right to know what's going on?" Harry asked sharply. Shacklebolt shrugged him off.  
"Harry, we don't want to get on the wrong side of the Minister."  
"For Merlin's sake, Ronald Weasley is dead and nearly 200 muggles were killed! This is exactly how it began last time. We need to unite the people. Secrecy isn't going to get us far if we want to hinder Lucius!" Harry cried.  
"We don't know if it's Lucius!" An Auror who hadn't raised his hand blurted out.   
Harry stared daggers at him but ignored his comment.  
"All of the indications point to him. He threatened Ginny, he threatened Ron before he was killed, and he came bloody close to torturing Hermione because of her blood status."   
Hermione reddened furiously, she hadn't expected him to tell everyone about that offensive, degrading experience. She yearned for Remus at that moment, he could command a room with the littlest of words. However, he had retired against her better judgement, shortly after Tonks had passed.  
"Not everyone has been pleased with the result of the war. It wouldn't be difficult to gather these unsatisfied wizards and turn them against people who aren't as 'superior'." A separate Auror stated openly.   
Kingsley held up his hands to silence the agitated wizards.  
"It's decided. We will begin an investigation into Lucius Malfoy and his alleged schemes. Therefore, the first step to finding out if he is the culprit will be to discover his current dwellings."   
"Yeah, easier said than done." Harry muttered darkly to Hermione, "The ruddy coward will be hiding in the bloody north pole or something, slowly murdering one muggle after the other."  
"Harry, don't overlook the fact, you're the top victim on his list." Hermione hissed across the table so that only he could hear.  
Ere Shacklebolt disbanded the meeting he gave Hermione a serious look.  
"I fear things are much worse than we originally anticipated."

Tomato sauce splattered all over her top as she stirred the pot on the stove, whilst simultaneously chopping an onion. She stubbornly refused to use magic when cooking, she had always preferred the 'muggle' way. It reminded her of home and family.  
She cursed aggressively as she wiped at the sauce with a dishcloth, simply making the stain bigger and more troublesome to wash out.  
A deep-toned chuckle made her whip around, and she dropped the knife to the floor. It clattered loudly and Remus instantly stopped laughing and rushed forward to retrieve it. She turned her back to him, making it clear that she wasn't in the mood to 'chat'. She stirred the pot a little more vigorously than necessary as she stared into the distance.   
Remus took the knife into his hand and gently pushed her right fist away, replacing it with his own. She had to admit that he was a whole lot better calmer whilst cutting onions.  
"How was your day?" He asked, absentmindedly, not catching the irritated scowl she threw his way.  
"Fine."  
He nodded thoughtfully, then poured the onions he had already finished chopping into the bubbling pot of bolognese.  
"I'm glad." He replied genuinely.   
She inhaled deeply, deciding that unfriendliness would just make the circumstances harder to shoulder.  
"Did Teddy eat alright? He was being a bit fussy yesterday." She queried, trying to soften her voice a little.  
"Yeah, he was fine. He finished the last of the tuna pasta you made him yesterday." Remus replied, now able to gaze at her that he had finished his self-induced task.  
"I'll tuck him in tonight if that's OK with you." She murmured, as she continued to stir.  
"Of course!" He exclaimed, his relieved tone catching her off guard.   
She neglected the pot for a minute and turned towards him.  
"Remus, just because things are a bit inconvenient between us at the moment, I'm not going to stop looking after Teddy. I meant what I said, I love him as much as I'd love my own son." She said soberly, drying her hands with the dishcloth she had just used to clean the mess on her shirt.  
Remus breathed heavily, tucking a lock of escaped hair from her messy plait, behind her ear.  
"Remus." She sighed moving her head slightly to escape his touch.   
He withdrew his hand but didn't avert his gaze.  
"Hermione, I've made a huge error."  
She shook her head, willing the tears that were pooling in her chocolate brown eyes to evaporate. She couldn't handle this.  
"Remus, please, I don't need your pity."  
"Oh Merlin, Hermione, that's not what this is." He whispered fiercely, his eyes also shimmering with unshed tears.  
"I'm sorry for saying those things yesterday. Just forget it, OK? It's unreasonable for me to require you to reciprocate my feelings for you. Tonks was your companion, I'm nothing compared to her." She breathed, through clenched teeth.  
Remus' breath caught in his throat as he saw her wounded expression.  
"I- this isn't fair to you. I just don't know how to express how I feel about you. For Christ's sake, I care about you, 'Mione, I love- like you." He stammered helplessly.   
She exhaled deeply, then looked at him evenly.  
"Remus, as I said, I don't expect you to love me. Love is a strong word. All I want is for you to allow me to make you happy, but I can't do that if you won't let me, or don't want me to."   
"But that's not what-! I want to love you. I just don't understand how."  
For the first time that night, she smiled lovingly. Her hand brushing his cheek as she tried to formulate what she wanted to say.  
"Then let me show you how. There's no need to rush anything. Just let it happen." She whispered.  
He nodded mutely, then placed a tender kiss onto her forehead, his eyes closing as he breathed in her minty scent.  
A few minutes passed and only the sudden crackling of the bolognese brought them back to the present. She grinned bashfully as she returned to her cooking.  
"Can you call the others to the table?" She requested, finally feeling like she was ready to enjoy his company and look at him without freezing up. He nodded instantly, giving her hand a quick squeeze before heading towards the doorway.  
"Oh, and, Hermione, I'm going to try my best to give us a bright future. Just don't give up on me, alright?" He said abruptly, just before he was about to shut the door behind him.  
She nodded, she knew this was going to be challenging. 

  
Whatever _this_ was.


	7. Chapter 7

Beams of sunlight illuminated the room as her eyes fluttered open.   
She mumbled incoherently, turning onto her side and draping her arm over Remus' unmoving form. His breathing was shallow, and she realised that his face was unusually pale.  
Worry tugged her out of the afterglow of their encounter last night, and she ignored the ache in her thighs, reminding her of the way Remus Lupin had made love to her in the moonlight.  
In the moonlight.  
She realised with a jolt that it was close to the full moon, and her gaze drifted back to Remus' restless body. How had he managed to be so gentle with her last night? She had read many books on lycanthropy over the years, even though she had blushed uncomfortably whilst reading chapter after chapter on the heightened bloodlust of a werewolf as well as the close to unbearable desire to mate. She couldn't begin to understand how Remus had been able to contain himself, but she felt a swell of emotion as she remembered his careful touches and loving embraces.  
She blushed. She sounded like a lovesick adolescent and she quickly tried to come up with less pathetic thoughts.  
Absentmindedly her hands brushed over the variety of scars on his chest, some looked fresh whilst others were barely visible in the sunlight. Even in his sleeping state, he managed to catch her hand and pull them away from the evidence of his 'disease'. She ignored his silent request and trailed her finger over a particularly angry looking gash in his abdomen.  
"Hermione-" He groaned sleepily. She shushed him impatiently and let her hand wander over to his shoulder, where she found a silvery wound, barely bigger than her thumb.  
"Please, you don't have to touch them. I know it's repelling, there's no need-" he began again, but this time she clamped her hand over his mouth and scowled into his barely open eyes. God, he looked adorable when waking up.  
Not a schoolgirl, she reminded herself sternly.  
"Remus Lupin, I'm going to touch your scars as much as I bloody want to. I don't care if you think they make you look hideous or threatening. When I said that I wanted you, I meant it. Now let me touch you and relax. If I remember correctly you weren't complaining last night." She said, her voice laced with frustration.  
He gave a defeated grunt and rotated onto his stomach, allowing her to explore his back.  
"I love you here." She said, placing a quick kiss onto a different scar.   
"And here," She added, her lips ghosting across yet another tear in his skin.  
"And here."  
Before she could place her mouth on yet another mark, he caught her chin with his hand and leant forward, rolling onto his back, so that he could capture her lips in a gentle kiss.  
"You're ridiculous." He managed to murmur before she climbed on top of him and continued examining the rest of his body in the bright morning light.  
"You're bloody beautiful, Remus, you know that?" She exclaimed when she had finished her exploring.  
"Not as beautiful as you." Was all he said, before drifting back off to sleep.  
She decided to let him rest, deciding that he would need it for the troublesome night ahead.

She closed the bedroom door behind her with a discreet click. However, she hesitated for a few moments, her hand still resting on the doorknob, as she listened to Remus' faint snores.  
"Whatcha doing?" Harry's amused voice piped up from behind her, and she whirled around with a terrified squeal.  
She scowled when she saw that it was her best friend who had startled her.  
"Would the men in this house please stop sneaking up on me all the time!" She hissed quietly, noticing that Teddy was still sleeping soundly in his room.  
He shrugged innocently then eyed her curiously.  
"So you and Remus, eh?" He asked in a voice so casual, one could think he was asking her about the weather.  
She cleared her throat, her anger instantly followed by embarrassment.  
"I-I guess." She managed to mutter, her eyes drifting to the dusty floor. She really needed to organize a cleaning day with her roommates, the mess was getting unacceptable.  
Harry smiled warmly and walked towards her wrapping his arms around her, in that comfortingly familiar way of his.  
"Great, I'm so happy for the two of you." He breathed into her frizzy hair.   
Her mane was untameable in the morning.   
She leaned into the hug and when he finally pulled away from her, she realised that her eyes were wet once more. Merlin, she needed to get her emotions under control.  
"You don't know what that means to me." She muttered, wiping her eyes quickly.  
He smirked, then let his fingers brush through her tangled curls.  
"Yeah, my blessing for a relationship between to smart, consenting adults is essential." He said sarcastically, rolling his emerald green eyes. She swatted his arm playfully, then sashayed past him, her spirits lifting once more now that the elephant, well werewolf, in the room had been addressed.  
"You go get Teddy and wake Sirius up, whilst I get started on breakfast." She declared loftily, walking towards the staircase.  
"Your wish, my command, _Professor Grange_ r." He replied, giving an exaggerated bow.  
She laughed lightly, and stuck her tongue out as she began her descent down the rickety staircase, her elegance, however, was quickly diminished as she stumbled on the last three steps. She could hear Harry chortling loudly as she entered the kitchen.  
She sighed forlornly, as she realised that her clumsiness wouldn't improve the maturer she got, in fact, it seemed to be getting worse the more years went by.  
With a flick of her wand, she retrieved an assortment of pots and pans, the stove already crackling as she started on the bacon. A full English breakfast seemed to be in order,   
after all, she had burned a lot of calories the previous night.

"For Christ's sake, which one of you twats was in my room last night?" Sirius barked angrily as he finally emerged for breakfast.  
The three of them had nearly finished the feast Hermione had so carefully prepared, and Sirius' entrance was a bit of a mood kill, to say the least.  
His hair was still damp from a rushed shower, and his shirt was partially unbuttoned.   
"What? Sirius calm down." Remus growled, massaging his temples in an attempt to calm his accelerating heartbeat.  
"No, Moony, I won't calm down. My favourite shampoo is gone and I this morning I had to wash my hair with that disgusting bar of soap you and Harry use!" He snarled heatedly.  
Hermione reddened immediately, and Sirius' interrogating glower settled on her.  
"Hermione?" He asked menacingly.  
She waved her hands up in surrender, cowering under his piercing stare.  
"Merlin, I'm sorry Sirius, but mine was empty and I didn't realise-" She began but he cut her off with an impatient wave of his hand.  
"You used up the entire bloody bottle?" He asked disbelievingly.  
"Sirius," Remus growled, his hand settling protectively on her arm.  
"Oh, Merlin's beard, Remus, just because you've started shagging like bunnies, does not mean that I'm suddenly going to tolerate thievery in my own house!" He retaliated just as viciously.  
A dangerous, guttural noise ripped from Remus' throat and she wrapped her arms around his waist as he sprang up from his chair.  
"Remus, no!" She yelped, frowning at Sirius, now was really not the time to aggravate the werewolf.   
Sirius backed off instantly, realising that it was the wolf reacting and not his oldest friend.  
"Sorry, sorry. It's fine. I don't care about the shampoo. Your soap smells _fantastic_ and I enjoyed using it _immensely_." He rambled tensely, sitting down at the table, his movements deliberate and cautious.  
Remus continued to snarl at him through his clenched teeth.  
"These beans are incredible!" Harry muttered through a mouthful of baked beans and toast.  
She smiled indulgently at her friend, his change of the subject was in no way subtle but it did the job, and soon enough Remus' body thawed beside her and an easy smile spread across Sirius' face.  
They fell into an awkward silence.  
"Your quite sensitive this morning, Moony, is it that time of the month again?" Sirius quipped after a while.   
Hermione stiffened beside him, waiting for Remus to finally flip, but thankfully all he did was nick Sirius' bacon and continued to glower at him for the rest of the morning.  
He left the house after lunch, to retrieve his wolfbane potion from the local apothecary.   
Sometimes it was extremely difficult having to live in a house with a werewolf, an animagus and the chosen one.


	8. Chapter 8

Lucius was still on the loose, Ron was still dead and she had finally confessed her feelings to the man she loved.

Hermione Granger's life was so different than she had expected it to be just two years ago.   
She was sitting at her desk in her office, waiting for the next clue on the Malfoy case. So far all they had managed to establish, was that Lucius had vacated Malfoy Manor and that more and more muggle attacks were being orchestrated all over the globe. The problem was that the Auror office couldn't prove that the attacks were the fault of the notorious death eater and were, therefore, not even close to declaring his guilt.  
Her day's in the Ministry were long and tedious.  
For another few hours, she rifled through her paperwork, obsessively glancing on the clock that hung on the wall. It was a similar clock to the one Molly Weasley had in her kitchen, except that the faces on the fingers of the clock belonged to Sirius, Harry, Teddy and Remus.   
It was an unnecessary piece of decor and she had never really found herself needing it, but when Sirius had told her that the constantly moving faces of his friends drove him insane, she had relented and hung it into her office.  
The boredom was exhausting her and she found herself entering a sort of self-induced daze.  
She sat there with her cup of coffee, black with a spoonful of sugar, and she let her mind wander to more 'stimulating' thoughts.  
In the darkened room she closed her eyes and relived the evening in which Remus had finally touched her without hesitation and fear.   
Her thoughts always did seem to lead her back to Remus.

_"Shush. It's OK, Baby, it's alright." She cooed softly, cradling Teddy in her arms as he snuffled unhappily._   
_After another half an hour of her trying to calm the agitated child, he finally fell asleep in her arms and with a satisfied sigh, she placed him into his crib._   
_"Night, Teddy Lupin." She whispered as she left the room, dimming the light of his room with a flick of her wand._   
_As she took another step back she felt her body collide with something rather solid and gave a surprised squeak, as she spun around._   
_Remus smiled at her as he steadied her with his strong arms._   
_"Warn me next time. You scared the living daylights out of me!" She chided, in a hushed whisper, desperate not to wake Teddy again._   
_He gave her an apologetic glance and let his hand brush over her arm like the softest of feathers._   
_"Come to bed." He murmured._   
_She looked confused but melted into his embrace._   
_"Your bed?"_   
_He shrugged slightly, then brushed his lips ever so softly against her temple._   
_"Only if you want to."_   
_She laughed breathily, burying her head into his shoulder._   
_"Of course, I do. But, Remus, as I said, we don't have to rush anything."_   
_"Hermione, tonight I want you to sleep in my arms." He murmured seductively._   
_"Well, if that's what you want."_   
_He murmured something into her hair, but she couldn't decipher it, instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. Before she knew what was happening, he had hoisted her into his arms, bridal style, and was carrying her towards his bedroom._   
_They passed Sirius in the hallway, who chortled loudly when he saw them, but gave Remus an encouraging wink before he was out of sight. Remus closed the door behind him as he entered his safe space and gently placed Hermione onto his messy, bed. Books littered the entire room and several curious-looking artefacts had been scattered all over the desk that stood in the corner of the room. She inhaled the woody, male fragrance she was so used to of Remus and smiled up at him sleepily. He lowered himself beside her, his calloused hands tracing her spine and sending tingles of pleasure through her entire being._   
_"Tonight I'm yours." She breathed._

"Hey, 'Mione." Harry's voice said, pulling her out of her daydream.  
She rubbed her eyes slightly and paused a second to recollect her thoughts. Then, she looked up at him and flashed him a friendly smile. He raised an eyebrow expectantly, and she groaned as she remembered that they had decided to meet up for lunch that day. Once again she had forgotten and had left Harry waiting.  
"Harry, oh dear, I forgot! I'll grab my coat now." She said hastily, jumping up from her chair and collecting her jacket and scarf. Harry chuckled as she rushed to the door, and grabbed his arm, pulling him behind her as she raced towards the elevator. She always seemed to be in a hurry these days.  
"You've got your head in the clouds, Miss Granger." He muttered behind her, pulling his hat over his unruly locks of hair.  
"I do not." She huffed defensively, pressing too many buttons at once.  
"It's OK though, you've got me to pull you back down to earth." He continued as if he hadn't heard her.  
"I'm sorry, Harry, it's just I've got so much on my mind at the moment. I mean work, Teddy, R-Ron and-"  
"Remus?" He suggested.   
She blushed and ducked her head, unable to meet his gaze.   
"Hermione, that's nothing to be ashamed about. In fact, I often think the two of you were made for each other. You both love books and, well you have-" He faltered as he tried to think of another similarity between the unexpected couple.   
She scoffed and slung her arm around his shoulder as they stepped into the foyer, quickly manoeuvring through the crowd of Ministry workers.  
They stepped into the clear sunshine, a light breeze brushing past them.  
"Always so eloquent." She quipped quietly, quickly dodging the flame-coloured leaves he threw her way.  
Autumn had arrived swiftly and before anyone had seemed to realise it, the trees had started to shed their impressive crowns. The two friends breathed in the crisp air as their teasing died down, replaced by the sound of their thoughts.  
"I think you're going to be good for Moony. He seems happier around you." He remarked softly.   
She gazed up at him but couldn't find the words she wanted to say. Before she could formulate an answer he had pulled her into their favourite pub and the conversation soon drifted to simpler matters.   
Such as the quality of the Yorkshire puddings they were served.  
Harry managed to make her laugh even then.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is weirdly dramatic.  
> But I'm not gonna apologize because everyone needs a little drama.  
> Leave a comment and tell me what ya think.   
> I'm really not quite sure where this story is going to go, but I really enjoy writing this, and I hope you enjoy reading it.  
> I'm going to stop rambling now...

"Hermione, wait!" Remus called out as she struggled to pull her coat on and simultaneously tie her shoes.  
She gave a frustrated sigh as she accidentally dropped her coat, feeling a stab of nausea as she straightened up.  
"Morning, I thought you were still sleeping. I didn't want to wake you." She said, placing a quick kiss onto his cheek.  
He gave her a worried look as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and let his thumb brush over her dry lips.  
"You look ill. Are you alright?"  
"I'm fine, don't worry about me, Remus." She said firmly, moving towards the door before he could continue questioning her.  
He gently pulled at her sleeve before she could walk through the door and wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning down to so that he could capture her lips with his.  
"Remus, I'm going to be late." She protested pathetically, but as usual, she soon relented.  
However, as she much as she wanted to melt into his embrace, she felt herself disentangling herself from his hold and rushing to the bathroom. She retched as she gripped the toilet bowl and shuddered violently as her body convulsed.  
"Hermione!" Remus exclaimed, dropping to his knees beside her.  
"It's fine. I'm fine." She managed to gasp, her body relaxing ever so slightly as Remus' warm hand rubbed her back gently.  
"Something I did?" Remus joked weakly.  
She shook her head, and when she finally felt the nausea subside she leaned into him, her head resting on his shoulder.  
"Maybe you should visit St. Mungo's" Remus suggested, his face twisted with worry.  
"No, I swear I'm fine." She replied, stroking his cheek softly, then disentangled herself from his embrace and flushed the toilet.  
"Hermione." He began, but she shrugged him off and went to the bathroom sink to rinse out her mouth.  
"Remus, I am absolutely fine. All I ask is that you take care of Teddy and Sirius today, OK?"  
He nodded reluctantly, then decided to let the matter of her sudden onslaught of sickness drop. Hermione was stubborn and he knew that trying to convince her to do something against her better judgment was hopeless.  
"Why do I always have to be Sirius' babysitter?" He asked, successfully changing the subject and straightening her robes as she turned towards him. He was unsure of her casual attitude and felt that she was distancing herself from him.  
Hermione could see the insecurity in his hazel eyes and she could see the cogs beginning to turn in his head.  
"Did I hear my name?" A husky voice asked abruptly.  
Hermione whirled around in fright and squawked in fury as she realized that it was Sirius who had startled her.  
"Could all of you just stop-!" She began but decided that she was late enough as it was and didn't need to make matters worse by engaging in an argument with the notorious Sirius Black.  
She brushed past the grinning man and made her way back to the front door, cursing loudly as Sirius' late mother started threatening her from the grim portrait hanging on the wall. She was just about to shut the door behind her when Remus stopped her.  
"Hermione, I need to know. If you're in any way regretting starting this thing that's going on between us-"  
She placed a finger on his grimacing mouth and let her eyes stare into his.  
"This thing we have is called a relationship, Lupin, and I don't regret anything that has happened between us so far. I love you and that's all that matters." She said, feeling relieved as the stiff expression in his face thawed slightly.  
"I love you too."  
"Good, that makes me very happy." She murmured, letting her lips graze over his ear.  
"Go to work already, Miss Granger. I'm bloody starving!" Sirius yelled from the hallway, his shout awakening Teddy, who howled unhappily as he realised he had yet to be fed.  
"Have fun babysitting."  
It was cold that morning and she wrapped her coat even tighter around her shivering torso. The sky was grey and a dense fog blanketed the town of London. Harry had left for work early that morning, seeing as an urgent owl had brought a note, demanding he arrive at his office two hours earlier than usual.  
Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the dark figure trailing her. Even when she was forced to stop at a traffic light she didn't realise that the cloaked person was still standing close behind her.  
She passed the bakery, that she often visited with Harry. But that morning she found the scent of pastries and coffee to sicken her, and she held her breath as she strode past the unobtrusive shopfront.  
She felt tired and worn as she let her feet guide her along the familiar path to the Ministry, so tired that she was oblivious to the fact, that the person who had been following her was now walking right beside her. It had started to rain, but seeing as she was among several muggles she decided it would be too risky to cast any charms to keep the rain from drenching her.  
She was out of breath, even though she hadn't been walking for long and suddenly her knees gave out and her feet slipped on the wet pavement. Before she knew what was happening she was falling towards the ground. However, she never felt her body collide with the solid stone, instead, she felt a vice-like grip on her upper arm and before she could protest she was being dragged to her feet.  
She steadied herself and was midway into thanking the stranger who had stopped her from falling when something sharp and solid was suddenly pressing into her back.  
"Not a word, Mudblood." A familiar voice hissed.  
She froze, unsure of what to do. How had he found her? Why was he there? Did she have time to grab her wand from her back pocket, or would he curse her if she moved even the slightest bit?  
"Let me go." She said, her voice hoarse with panic.  
He didn't reply, instead, he hauled her along beside him, until they reached a secluded telephone box. His movements were unforgiving and violent as he shoved her inside the narrow interior of the red box. He pushed in beside her and shut the door, casting several silencing and muggle-repelling charms.  
"I thought you were beyond hiding from muggles." She spat, unable to bite her tongue even in a situation as dangerous as this one.  
"Shut it, Granger, and listen very carefully." Lucius Malfoy seethed, the tip of his wand now poking painfully into her temple.  
History seemed to be repeating itself.  
"What do you want?" She snarled, tears pooling in her eyes as fear flooded her entire being.  
"Ah, I thought you'd never ask." He teased, his eyes gleaming with fury.  
She shook her head weakly, as he twisted his wand viciously, causing the tender skin of her temple to break. She could feel the blood already streaming down her forehead.  
"I want you dead." He hissed into her ear, his body pressing painfully against hers.  
"Why?" Was all she managed to ask, her body trembling.  
"It's nothing personal, all I want is the boy. I want him to suffer." He said, sounding unhinged as he spat those last words.  
"You'll never break him. Voldemort didn't manage to kill him and neither will you. You vile, pathetic-" She began, fury repressing every ounce of rationality in her body when she was abruptly cut off by the sudden cruciatus curse he inflicted upon her.  
Her limbs buckled and she threw her head back, a desperate scream ripping from her throat. His face was contorted with insanity and his lips curled back, revealing his familiar sneer.  
"You don't have to make this any worse than it already is." He snarled, his hand gripping her throat as he continued to torture her.  
She could barely hear him, her screeches filling the claustrophobic space.  
"Shut up and let me kill you the way you deserve to be killed, you filthy mudblood."  
"Please, just let me go. Merlin, please, let me go." She managed to gasp.  
"I'm afraid your begging won't do you any good. No-one can hear you. Not even that dirty werewolf or that foul dog. Not even the 'chosen one' can save you now." He growled, delighting in her cries for help and the violent sobs that shook her body.  
"I'm going to kill you and nothing you do can stop me. Just imagine all of the people outside of this filthy box, oblivious to your screams."  
She shook her head mindlessly, no longer aware of what she was saying and no longer in control of her flailing body.  
"Any last words?" He asked, lifting his wand above his head and pointing it directly at her forehead.  
She gritted her teeth, finally realising that she was trapped and there was nothing she could do to stop Malfoy from murdering her. Her hands were trapped behind her and her wand had clattered to the floor when he had forced her inside of the telephone box. She was done for.  
"Fuck you, Malfoy."  
"Very poetic, Granger." He said, a twisted smile stretching across his pale face.  
She shut her eyes, desperately trying to imagine that she was back at Grimmauld Place with Teddy in her arms and Remus close behind her, his arms protecting her from harm. But even that harmonious image didn't keep her body from flinching as she waited for Lucius to cast her into oblivion. She was beyond caring if she lived or died, all that she wanted was for him to relieve her from the unimaginable pain coursing through her being.  
"Avada Keda-"  
But before he could finish uttering the incantation, she felt herself falling to her knees as her body was relieved of the torture she had been enduring, and her head slumping against the cool metal of the telephone box. Ere she could attempt to open her eyes to see what had happened, she felt herself falling.  
Falling into unconsciousness, unable to reach the surface.


	10. Chapter 10

She awoke with a start. A ringing in her ears made it difficult to concentrate and she found the effort of opening her eyes to be overwhelming. She realised that she didn't have solid ground under her feet and that she seemed to be hovering in mid-air. Only then did she realise that she was being carried.   
Her eyes fluttered open, her lashes still wet with tears. A dull ache pounded in her head and her entire body felt boneless.  
"Hey, it's Ok, Hermione." A soft voice murmured.   
She tried to turn her head but a gentle hand hindered her from craning around.  
"Don't move too much. I think you might have broken something." The voice continued, tinged with anxiety.  
Only then did she recognise the voice of her saviour.  
Neville Longbottom.  
"Neville?" She whimpered softly.   
Only then did he look down at her, his familiar friendly face giving her some comfort.  
"Where are we going?" She asked.  
"St. Mungo's."   
"Where is he?"   
There was a heavy silence.  
"He's gone. For now." He replied darkly.  
"Won't muggles see us?" She asked quietly, a heaviness coming over her once more and making it increasingly difficult to stay awake.  
"Don't worry about that. I borrowed Harry's invisibility cloak a while back, and today was the day I actually wanted to give it back to him." He responded.  
If she had had the strength she would have rolled her eyes. Of course, Neville just so happened to have the cloak.  
"Thank you." She breathed.  
"Go to sleep, 'Mione."

However, when she woke up again, things weren't quite as pleasant.   
Her head felt as if it was splitting in half and this time there was no one around to comfort her.  
She sat up, wincing as she felt an ache close to unbearable in every cell of her being.  
Neville had indeed brought her to St. Mungo's. She recognized the light, clean interior of the hospital and the sterile scent was oddly comforting.  
"Where is she?" A panicked voice inquired abruptly, pulling her out of her numb trance.  
"Mr Lupin, please she needs to rest. We have yet to perform a full examination." A calm voice replied.   
She could imagine Remus' shaking frame behind the door, his face twisted in fear.  
"It's fine." She croaked, loud enough for the nurse to hear.  
She laid back, her body already exhausted. Remus pushed the door open, stepping cautiously towards her.  
Never before had she been so glad to see him. His beautiful hazel eyes taking in her appearance, and his sandy hair falling into his handsome, mature face.  
"You're here." She murmured, not caring if she sounded pathetic.  
"Of course I am." He replied instantly, his hands carefully stroking over her bruised face.  
"What happened?" He asked hoarsely.  
She shook her head, not yet ready to relive her encounter with Lucius.  
"It's OK, tell me when you're ready." He said hastily, but she could hear the need in his voice.  
"Is Neville still here?"  
"Yes, he's waiting outside. He said that Lucius-" He trailed off his body shaking with the effort to restrain his fury.  
"How did you find out?"  
"Neville sent an owl immediately. Oh, Merlin, Hermione."   
"Hush, it's fine. It's over now."  
"But what if-"  
She sat up on her elbows, letting her mouth find his, and pulled him into a soft, gentle kiss.  
He melted into her embrace, his strong arms crushing her against his chest.   
"Where's Teddy?"   
"He's with Sirius. They're waiting for you at home. Sirius is out of his mind with worry." He explained.  
"Ok." She breathed.  
"I'm so sorry I wasn't there to help you." He whispered, his head bowed in shame.  
She was used to him managing to convince himself he was guilty of things he had no fault in.  
"Remus, you couldn't know, any more than I what was going to happen this morning. But you're here now and that's all that counts." She said firmly.  
He didn't reply, but she could almost hear the internal battle raging in his mind.  
"You are the most incredible witch I have ever had the pleasure of knowing." He finally managed to say.  
She laughed softly, tracing the planes of his face with her fingertips, then a coy smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.  
"And you have the pleasure of shagging me." She said.  
A deep laugh erupted from his throat and for a moment she felt happier than she had for days.  
"You're impossible." He muttered, his mouth pressed into her hair.  
"And yet you still love me." She replied.  
"Always."

The examination had been quick and painless. Some dark magic still lingered in her body but it hadn't caused any lasting damage and Neville had intervened soon enough to keep her from going mad.  
The wound decorating her forehead had been cleaned and healed, a faded bruise the only thing left of her encounter.  
Remus refused to let her walk and insisted he carry her piggyback style. She relented and secretly she was relieved that she didn't have to walk, unsure if she could trust her shaking legs.  
She wasn't allowed to apparate or floo, so Remus valiantly carried her all the way back to Grimmauld Place.  
Her arms were slung around his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist.   
She buried her face into his hair, the familiar scent of his apple shampoo comforting her.  
She laughed as they walked through the streets of London. Remus moving agilely through the narrow alleyways. Remus chortled underneath her, his body shaking with laughter.  
Their walk back home reminded her of her time at Hogwarts with Harry and Ron. They had been so happy and carefree. Watching Remus delight in the simplest of things gave her an image of how he must have been twenty years ago.  
He was beautiful. And he was hers.  
However, as they arrived at the narrow brownstone they called home, Hermione became oddly silent. Remus mistook her sudden silence as exhaustion, and quietened down, moving slower and gentler as he entered the house.  
"Sirius?" He called, gingerly setting her on her feet, his hands however on her waist to keep her from toppling on to her side.  
"Is she there? Merlin, is she alright?" Sirius called his hurried footsteps thundering down the stairs.  
"Yes, I'm here." She said, laughing as Sirius wrapped his arms around her, then pulled back catching the stern glare Remus threw his way.  
"Oh yeah, you're all fragile." He muttered jokingly, disentangling himself from her, his eyes however were wide with unfiltered worry.  
"Where's Harry?" She asked, clearing her throat as her voice cracked pathetically.  
"I-I don't know. He left as soon as we got Neville's owl. I'm sorry Hermione, we couldn't stop him." Sirius explained regretfully.  
"Why? Why would he leave?"   
"Lucius," Remus replied.  
She shook her head. Of course, that was where Harry had gone. Worry coursed through her veins. Lucius was dangerous, she had gotten a first-hand experience of his wrath. Harry would never find him, Neville had already sent him running. For now.  
"Don't worry about that." Remus murmured.  
"I'll bring her upstairs, you take Teddy. He needs another feed." Sirius ordered, brushing past Remus and sweeping her up in her arms.  
She was too tired to complain. She yearned for her soft mattress and her warm duvet.  
However, before she let sleep take over her once more, she needed to get something off of her chest.  
"Sirius?" She asked softly, as they arrived in her room, Sirius tenderly placing her onto her made-up bed.  
"Yeah, Kitten?" He replied, brushing a few strands of hair from her face as he tucked her in.  
"Don't leave yet. I need to ask you something." She pleaded.  
He didn't argue, instead, he settled down beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and letting her lean her head onto his shoulder.  
"Ask away, Love." He murmured.  
"You are one of the kindest and understanding people I know..." She began.  
"Just a few of my best qualities" He replied, his voice humorous and patient.  
"And you know Remus better than anyone else." She continued.  
"That's right."  
She blushed, unsure how she should formulate her next words.  
"Today at St. Mungo's the nurse told me something and I- well I-."  
Sirius tensed beside her, whether it was fear that made him pause or residing fury at Lucius for what he had done, she didn't know.  
"Tell me." He said, trying to sound unobtrusive.  
There was the slightest of pauses, then Hermione cleared her throat and forced the words out of her mouth.  
"I'm pregnant." She stammered, gasping as she realised the weight of the words she had just uttered.  
Sirius froze.  
"You mean, the child of you and Remus is-" Sirius began, then trailed off.  
She looked up anxiously, but Sirius's face was alight with unfiltered joy.  
"Yes." She breathed.  
"That's incredible! This is amazing!" Sirius exclaimed.  
Then he saw the troubled look in her deep brown eyes. His expression mellowed and his hand took hold of hers.  
"Is this what you want?" He asked solemnly.  
She paused then nodded slowly.  
"Yes. Absolutely. I want to raise this child with Remus more than anything. But I don't know..." She breathed deeply, trying to gather her thoughts.  
"You don't know how Moony's going to react?" He suggested.  
"Exactly. I mean...Tonks, then Lucius...Ron's death. It's just so much." She blurted.  
"Remus will be overjoyed when he hears the news. Hermione, I've rarely seen him as happy, as when he's with you. You mean the world to him." Sirius said softly.  
She nodded, swallowing the lump of doubt in her throat.  
"You're right."  
"Of course I am." He said, pulling her into a fierce hug.  
"I'm so happy for you." He breathed.  
She felt the familiar sting of tears in her eyes, but she didn't brush them away. These were tears of joy.  
"When are you going to tell him?" Sirius asked.  
She shrugged, her hands fiddling with her hair in a nervous fashion.  
Sirius relented, smiling guiltily.  
"Sorry, 'Mione. You need to sleep before you think about such things."   
She nodded gratefully. He gently disentangled himself from her, letting his thumb catch the tears that were trickling down her cheeks.  
"Everything is going to be alright, I promise."  
Then he made his way towards the door, but before he left the room he turned back toward her. His face was no longer friendly but hard with grim determination.  
"Lucius will pay for what he's done. He's hurt my family and friends, and that's something I can't forgive." He muttered darkly.  
But the coolness in his voice comforted her. She wasn't the only one intent on ending Malfoy.  
Soon she'd be able to tell them what had happened to her that morning. Soon but not yet.  
Neville had yet to explain how he had managed to intervene, how he had succeeded in saving her life.   
First, she needed to sleep.   
She drifted off before Sirius had fully closed the door.

Harry came back late that night, exhausted and frustrated, but he stayed by Hermione's side until morning. They didn't talk, instead, they held each other. Unable to let go. Harry had already lost Ron, he couldn't lose Hermione as well.

"Alright, I've had enough," Remus announced abruptly.  
She whirled around, sloshing hot tea all over the countertop and her hands.  
"Bollocks!" He exclaimed, rushing towards her and gently guiding her reddened hand towards the sink.  
"Merlin, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you." He said hastily, turning the tap on, so that cool water streamed over her inflamed skin.  
"It's fine. Don't worry." She said, too preoccupied with his initial statement.  
What had he had enough of?  
She turned the tap off but didn't pull her hand away from his tender touch.  
They stood in silence, gazing into each other's eyes.  
"I've had enough." He repeated.  
She didn't reply, her body tensed and ready to flee. Was he breaking things off between them? Why had he suddenly changed his mind?  
"No that's not what I mean." He murmured, a crooked smile tugging at his lips.  
"You're not telling me something." He continued.  
She understood what he meant. She hadn't been very subtle in hiding the fact that she was indeed keeping something from him.  
Sirius had given her curious looks, inaudibly asking if she had told Remus yet. She didn't know what was keeping her from telling Remus. But she suspected that it had something to do with the deep-rooted fear that he would indeed leave her if he found out.  
It was irrational and unfair to him.  
She took a deep breath and looked up at him. He looked curious, gentle and patient, all at the same time.   
She let her fingers brush over the faded scars on his cheek.  
This was the man she loved, she had nothing to fear.  
"When I was at St. Mungo's a few days ago. Well, the examination revealed something rather exciting." She began.  
He silently urged her on with his hazel coloured eyes.  
"I'm pregnant." She blurted.  
"Pardon?" Remus asked incredulously.  
"I'm pregnant with your child." She repeated, feeling an unfamiliar pride as she uttered those words.  
He didn't move, but he didn't pull away either. She felt the tension leave her body, and she let her fingers gently brush over his lightly parted lips.  
"Are you happy?" She breathed.  
Still, he didn't reply, instead, he turned away from her his back facing her. She was unable to see his expression.  
"Please, say something, Remus." She implored.  
He took a few steps away from her, still facing the wall.   
"Remus?"  
He whirled around abruptly, wrapping his arms around her torso and lifted her into the air into one of his bear hugs.  
She laughed giddily as he waltzed them around the room. His face shone with pure happiness and an exuberant smile stretched across his glowing face.  
"Am I happy?" He asked rhetorically, setting her down carefully but keeping her in his strong arms.  
She was speechless. This was not the reaction she had expected.  
"I'm over the moon. I'm giddy with joy. I'm- I'm-" He faltered, his eyes wide with adoration.  
"I thought, maybe you'd be upset." She said truthfully.  
A look of guilt crossed his face but was quickly replaced by unwavering love.  
"I apologise deeply if I ever made you feel that way." He said quietly.  
"Teddy's going to have a sister." She whispered, her hands framing his face.  
His hair fell into his eyes as he leant forward.  
"You think it's going to be a girl?" He asked huskily.  
She shrugged, blushing slightly.  
"It just feels-" She began, but she noticed the dark flicker she had been waiting for, flash across his face.  
"What is it?"   
He shook his head, swallowing before he spoke.  
"I just realised, this child might be-"  
"Might also inherit your Lycanthropy." She finished.  
He nodded heavily, his eyes seeming to search her face for fear it disgust.  
"Then it will be so." She said shrugging and brushing a few strands of hair behind his ear.  
He nodded again, then let his lips mould against hers in a sweet and loving kiss.  
When they finally broke apart, the worry had drained from his face and had been replaced by excitement.  
"Who do we tell first?" He asked animatedly.  
She reddened in embarrassment, avoiding his gaze.  
"What? What's the matter?"  
"Sirius already knows."  
He looked at her in surprise.  
"You mean, Sirius has known about this all along?"  
"I only told him a few days ago, when I came back from St. Mungo's." She explained hurriedly.  
He pouted but it didn't elicit the desired reaction from her. Instead, she started laughing.  
"I wasn't in my right mind. I'd just been pumped full of pain medicine." She said, still laughing, cupping his face with her slender hand.  
"Still-" He began but faltered as another realisation dawned on him.  
He didn't speak for a while, his breathing uneven and his eyebrows pulled together in an uncharacteristic frown.  
"You don't need to tell me what exactly happened with Lucius, but could the things that he did in any way have harmed the baby?" He asked finally.  
The smile fell from her lips and she realised that she had yet to recount that horrific experience. It wasn't fair of her to keep her friends and loved ones in the dark. She shook her head slowly as she tried to remember what the nurse had said that day in the hospital.  
"I was told that the child remained unharmed during the attack." She said quietly.  
He sighed in relief.  
"But Remus, I think it's time I told you what exactly happened that morning, and I need Neville to tell me how he managed to find me. All of this could be a huge help in the Ministry case." She continued solemnly.  
"Ok."  
She nodded, feeling oddly relieved now that she would be sharing the events of that day. She wouldn't have to carry the memories around with herself. They would be released and eventually, they would be nothing more than a bad dream.  
"But before we do any of the heavy stuff, we tell Harry. As godfather, he has the right to know." He said, his lips against her ear.  
She grinned and wrapped her arm around his waist, he let his arm drape around her shoulder.  
"My thoughts exactly." She replied.  
  



	11. Chapter 11

"You're joking," Harry insisted after Hermione and Remus finally told him the good news.  
They were walking alongside the narrow stream not far from Sirius' house. A small, secluded spot of nature, yet untouched by human hands. Teddy was being pushed in his pram by Hermione, whereas Remus lumbered along beside her, his arm draped around her shoulder in a protective manner. Hermione flashed him a grin, her cheeks rosy and her eyes shining with excitement.  
"You wish," she responded, poking him in the ribs.  
He ducked away, laughing breathily. Sirius was trotting way ahead of them, lost in his thoughts a content smile on his face. She loved days like these when it felt like nothing could go wrong.  
"And I'm to be godfather?" Harry asked.  
Remus and Hermione nodded simultaneously.  
"Well, we figured you're already Teddy's godfather-" Remus began, but Hermione cut him off by leaning upwards and placing a kiss on his lips to silence him.  
"We picked you because you're responsible, kind and caring." She said softly, turning away from Remus' pouting face and beaming up at her best friend.  
"What about me?" Sirius piped up, suddenly walking right beside them an eager expression on his face.  
"Well, you'll be her godmother, of course!" Hermione exclaimed brightly.  
Sirius's face fell slightly, but then a blinding grin split his face.  
"Ok, I can work with that. Godmother. I never thought I'd see the day." He mumbled to himself.  
Remus chuckled and untangled himself from Hermione, walking over to his oldest friend and placing a hand on his shoulder. She smiled lovingly at the two men. So glad she could call one of them the love of her life and the other one of her oldest friends.  
"Getting all sentimental are we?" Harry said quietly.  
She giggled, wiping her eyes and sniffing loudly.  
"It's the hormones," she claimed.  
Harry scoffed, and let his fingers intertwine with hers.  
"You're going to be a great Mum, 'Mione."  
She nodded and leaned into him, slowing to a halt. She looked down at the sleeping child in front of her, asking herself how it was possible to hold so much love in one's heart.

  
They picnicked at the bank of the river, placing a blanket on the earth and unpacking the feast Hermione and Sirius had prepared. As Hermione bit into a ripe, purple plum she decided that it was time to talk about Lucius. She cleared her throat and took a long swig of tea from the thermos flask Remus had kindly prepared for her.  
"Lucius wants to kill me," she said abruptly, immediately cursing herself as she saw the appalled expression's on her companion's faces.  
Remus gave a low growl and she saw a look of pure anger flash across his rigid face. Sirius placed a hand on her arm as if willing her to carry on talking and simultaneously stop speaking about such horrid shrugged him off and let her eyes wander to Teddy, taking his bottle in Sirius's arms. She needed to tell them. Even if she was only doing so to keep herself from going insane.  
"He won't get that far," Harry said in a threatening voice.  
She shrugged again, and let her gaze wander to the trickling stream beside them.  
"He-he somehow, managed to track me down on my way to work and he- he forced me into a telephone b-booth." She began, not daring to look into the eyes of her audience.  
"Anyway, that's beside the point-" She continued but Remus interrupted her.  
"Tell us everything that happened that morning."  
She could hear the strain in his voice as he tried to keep his composure. His trembling hands told her that he was finding it difficult to restrain his fury. Even though he had just been through his monthly transformation, his nerves were still on edge and he was easy to provoke. The circumstances were making his condition worse, and Lucius' assault on Hermione wasn't making things any easier.  
"He said that he was going to kill me. That he wanted to ruin you, Harry. That he wouldn't stop until he had finished his task," she said, her voice cracking and her eyes tearing up once more.  
Sirius inhaled sharply, but she pressed on, finding it difficult to stop now that she had finally started talking about the attack.  
"I can't remember the details of what happened next. All I know is that suddenly he preformed the cruciatus curse on me and he wouldn't stop. Then, he- well, he said he was going to use the killing curse." She trailed off, her entire frame shuddering as she remembered his words.  
Harry shuffled closer to her, wrapping his strong arms around her body, burying his face in her unruly hair.  
"And then Neville intervened." Sirius finished, his gaze distant.  
She nodded mutely.  
"That bastard!" Remus roared abruptly, making her jump in fright and Teddy cry out.  
Sirius glared at him, moving in front of Hermione as if to protect her. As if in some twisted way, Remus was angry with her.  
"Remus, calm down," Sirius ordered.  
"No! She happens to be my mate, Padfoot. She happens to be carrying my child." He yelled, his eyes seeming unable to focus and his irises an unsettling amber.  
"Moony, look at me."  
"He could have killed her! She could have been dead!" he shouted, his voice breaking.  
"She didn't. She's safe. The baby is safe," Sirius said, standing up to face his friend and placing a firm hand on Remus' shaking shoulder.  
"Oh, Merlin," Remus breathed, his breath coming in shallow pants.  
He stumbled slightly, falling to his knees, his head in his hands as he shivered uncontrollably.  
"Remus," she murmured, taking hold of his hands and nodding gratefully at Sirius as he moved away.  
"Look at me, my love."  
He lifted his head slightly. His tortured face unrecognisable to her.  
"You don't understand, Hermione. I can't-I can't lose you."  
She nodded, kissing his forehead softly.  
"You won't ever, _ever_ , lose me."  
"We'll keep each other safe, Remus," Sirius said.  
"We fought before and we'll fight again," Harry promised.  
"Lucius will pay. Merlin, he'll pay for what he has done." Remus whispered so quietly that she could barely hear him.  
"That's what I'm counting on," she breathed.


	12. Chapter 12

"What, in Merlin's name, is this?"  
"I already said, I don't know."  
"Do not lie to me!" she snarled, whipping out her wand and pointing it directly into Neville's face.  
"Christ, such a pleasant way to thank me for saving your life." He muttered, taking a few steps away from her bubbling anger.  
"I already thanked you profusely and I will be eternally grateful, however," she continued, shoving the small amethyst coloured sphere she had found attached to her ear that morning, into his face.  
He swallowed visibly, a dark blush blooming in his cheeks.  
"Why was this tracking sphere hidden behind my ear?" she hissed.  
He took another few steps back.  
"Kingsley..." he began quietly, his hands stuffed into his pockets and his eyes wide with guilt.  
"For Merlin's sake, Neville!" she screeched, grabbing her bag from the floor and hurling it at him.  
It hit him with a pathetic thud and he barely flinched. She growled in frustration and moved even closer to Neville.  
"Don't ever, and I mean ever, do something like that again," she snarled.  
Neville nodded immediately. She hesitated for a few more moments then let out a sigh. The tension seemed to flow out of her body and she sagged, falling forward into Neville's arms.  
"I'm sorry, Neville," she murmured.  
Neville stiffened, then relaxed slightly.  
"I'm just glad I got there in time."  
She gave a short humourless laugh.  
"So am I," she replied.  
They stood there in comfortable silence. Two old friends who had been through too much together. Two people who had never known peace. Two people who would always be at war.  
"I convinced Kingsley to permanently remove your tracking device," Neville finally said.  
"I expected nothing less," she responded, finally turning away from him and placing her bag back onto the dresser that stood in the middle of the hallway.  
"He was afraid you'd overdo it with the Malfoy case. He did it to keep you as well as the Auror office safe," he continued, following her into the empty kitchen.  
"It doesn't matter, Neville," she sighed, closing the door behind him and gesturing for him to sit down.  
"Where's Remus?" he asked quietly.  
She shrugged and set the kettle onto the stove.  
"Tea?"  
Neville nodded and smiled gratefully as she sat down beside him. She let her head fall into her hands and groaned quietly. Her morning sickness was still a very real part of her daily routine.  
"You OK, Hermione?" he asked gently.  
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Just a little tired," she replied.  
The kettle whistled loudly and she jumped up.  
"Let me," he said, brushing past her and pouring the boiling water into the two mismatched mugs on the countertop.  
"Thank you," she breathed.  
A few moments later he set two steaming cups of milky black tea onto the table and sat back down beside her.  
"You take sugar, don't you?" he asked nervously.  
She nodded weakly.  
Several minutes of complete silence passed. The two of them lost in comfortable stillness.  
"Neville!" a warm voice suddenly called out.  
Hermione whipped around and couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips when she saw Remus in the doorway, his arms laden with paper grocery bags.  
"Remus! I've missed you, mate!" Neville said, getting up from the table and wrapping Remus into a bone-crushing hug.  
"Hermione, my love," Remus said softly when Neville had stepped back, placing a soft kiss onto her clammy forehead.  
She leant into his embrace and closed her eyes. Another wave of nausea coursed through her body. A shudder ran through her body.  
"Do you need to rest?" Remus asked, his thumb brushing over the flushed skin of her cheek.  
"I think I might do just that," she admitted.  
She turned to Neville and gave him an apologetic glance. He smiled warmly and wrapped her into a slightly more delicate hug.  
"I'm glad you're OK," he said.  
"Thank you, Neville. For everything," she whispered.  
She turned towards the door but gave Remus a lingering kiss on her way out. He smiled at her and gave her a glass bottle filled with a rose coloured liquid.  
"Sirius gave me this yesterday. It's meant to help against nausea."  
She took the bottle and smiled gratefully.  
"Wake me up for lunch. This little one needs to be fed after all," she said, her hands wandering to the slight curve of her abdomen.  
Neville's eyes widened in understanding and he opened his mouth to speak. She winked and left before he could question her.


	13. Chapter 13

"Stop it."  
"Please?"  
"No, go away."  
"Please, 'Mione."  
Hermione burst out laughing at the fallen expression on her lover's face. She pushed him aside and continued to stroke the brush across the rough surface of her bedroom wall. They had decided on a soft cornflower blue but now that they were finally renovating her room into a nursery, Remus seemed very reluctant to let her do the actual work.  
Because Hermione's room was being turned into a nursery, she had moved into Remus' room. It seemed to be the obvious thing to do. And every night she slept in his arms, Teddy often snuggled in between them. She revelled in the idea of having two children. Possibly a boy and a girl. She never would have thought herself capable of holding so much affection in her heart and she often dreamed of the child growing inside of her and couldn't understand how she could love a person so much that she had yet to meet.  
Hermione's rounded belly was very obvious by then. She still worked at the office but Kingsley had been starting to hint that maybe it was time for her to take maternal leave. Harry was being infuriatingly cautious, refusing to let her do the shopping, and Sirius had banned her from cleaning the house, insisting he do it himself. These turns of events had resulted in unevenly hoovered carpets ( she preferred the muggle way of tidying) and way too many cans of baked beans.  
"You're sweating!" Remus exclaimed trying once again to take the paintbrush from her.  
"Thank you for pointing that out, Moony," she quipped back.  
"I just want to help," he complained.  
"Remus, I want to do this. I am enjoying this," she said.  
"Hermione, please."  
"No."  
"Why not?" he whined softly.  
She laughed, nearly toppling from the chair she stood on. Remus steadied her and scowled at her as if she had proved his point.  
She ignored his frowning and dunked her paintbrush into the blue paint placed precariously on top of her dresser.  
"Just let me-" he began but she interrupted him by placing a chaste kiss onto his soft lips. He melted into her, wrapping his arms around her. She relished in the warm touch of his hands. She felt the brush slipping from her fingers and abruptly pushed him away.  
"Forget it. I'm going to do the painting," she said.  
With a frustrated huff, he finally stopped trying to take the brush from her.  
"I just don't want you to hurt yourself," he sighed.  
She turned serious and gave him a thoughtful look. She knew that he was terrified of something happening to his loved ones. He had already lost so much. She knew that he couldn't lose her too.  
"Remus, I need you to listen to me now," she began, carefully stepping down from the chair and placing the brush next to the jar of paint.  
He didn't reply, instead, he gently took hold of her left hand and examined the splotches of paint she had accidentally flicked onto her hand and wrist.  
"I started at Hogwarts when I was twelve years old and since then my life has been filled with unforeseeable dangers. I have fought countless evil wizards and a myriad of terrifying magical creatures. I fought in the battle of Hogwarts and could only watch as people I called my friends were killed before me. I lost my best friend," she said her voice cracking as she thought of Ron.  
Remus couldn't look her in the eyes as he too relived the horrors Voldemort's reign had brought upon them.  
"But I wouldn't trade any of that for a safe, suburban life as a frustrated woman who was never able to reach her full potential. Remus, I chose this life, I need this life and I'm going to need you to trust me to take care of myself," she said softly.  
He finally looked up at her his hazel eyes meeting hers. She could see the flecks of sea blue in his irises and for a second she was spellbound by the beautiful man in front of her.  
"I trust you. It's me I don't trust. Every waking minute of every day I feel like I'm going to fail you," he began, letting his calloused hands trace the outline of her swollen abdomen.  
"You idiot," she sighed, letting her head fall onto his chest, her arms wrapping around his neck.  
A cry from Teddy's nursery was what finally pulled them apart. She gave Remus a warm smile and finally gave the brush to Remus.  
"I'll get him," she said, giving him a tender kiss on the cheek before exiting the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that I haven't posted in a while. There's just been so much to do.   
> I really hope you enjoy this short chapter and I promise I'll be posting more soon.


	14. Chapter 14

With Teddy in her arms, nuzzling into the crook of her neck, she set about preparing his bottle. The child in her arms snuffled twice, his tiny button nose wrinkling in the cutest way possible. His rosy lips were parted and his incredibly soft cheeks were glowing with health.  
She couldn't look away. He was mesmerising. This human had been made by two of the bravest people she knew. This child in her arms would grow up one day. This boy would soon become a man and she had the honour of protecting him until he was strong enough to do so himself.   
"You'll always be my favourite, Teddy," she whispered, kissing his forehead.   
He gurgled happily, wrapping his chubby fingers around her index finger. A sudden pang of pain ripped through her as she looked down at him. The way his eyebrows were scrunched together, reminded her of the quizzical way Ron had looked at her when she started off on a tangent.   
"Need help, kitten?" Sirius smooth voice asked from the doorway.  
She didn't reply, trying to fight the sudden onslaught of tears. Her shoulders shook as she desperately tried to fill her lungs with air. She didn't understand. She thought she had been coping, but it felt as if the freshly healed wound had been ripped open again.   
"Hermione?" Sirius probed, walking towards her and gently taking Teddy from her.  
His grey eyes were wide with uncertainty and concern. She shook her head, still unable to reply. She felt dizzy and gripped the countertop she had been working at, her knuckles turning white. Tears fell from her eyes and dripped onto the cool tiles of the kitchen.   
Holding Teddy in one arm, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into his chest.  
"Hush, it's going to be alright," he murmured helplessly.  
Her breathing was too shallow and too quick as she tried to formulate words.  
"I- I miss h-him," she gasped.  
Sirius body relaxed slightly, suddenly understanding her sadness.  
"I know, so do I," he replied.  
"I miss his laugh, his stupid jokes, his red hair. I miss talking to him," she began, finally catching her breath.  
"I know."  
"I miss my friend."  
"I know," he breathed.  
And for a minute everything was indeed alright. She was standing in the kitchen in the arms of one of her dearest friends, her true love upstairs painting the room of their unborn child.   
She was going to be fine. She had to be.

She shuffled through the papers on her desk, her movements becoming frantic.   
"I can't find it, Harry," she exclaimed shrilly.  
"Merlin, this isn't good, 'Mione," he replied anxiously.  
Her heart was racing and her palms were sweating. She needed to find it.  
"Look in the top drawer of my desk!" she commanded, whirling around and delving through a different box of papers.  
Surrounded by the loud rustling of paper, she didn't hear Draco knocking.  
"Hey Hermione, here's the- Merlin! What are you doing?" he inquired, his eyes raking over the myriad of papers littering the floor.  
She felt the sudden urge to growl at him. She felt positively feral.  
"We're looking for the list of baby names Hermione wrote for Remus," Harry began to explain.  
"I found this beautiful girl's name and my stupid, pregnant brain forgot it!" she exclaimed, digging through another drawer of documents.  
Draco gave the two of them a sceptical look, then sagged slightly.  
"Fine, I'll help," he said reluctantly.  
"Found it!" Harry yelled from the corner of her office, waving a crumpled sheet of paper triumphantly.  
She yelped with relief, rushing towards him and hugging him exuberantly.  
"Where was it?"  
"In your coat pocket," he replied, stifling a laugh.  
She exhaled loudly, snatching the piece of parchment from him.  
"I could've sworn I already looked there..." she trailed off.  
"So, I guess my help is no longer required," Malfoy said, smiling sheepishly.  
"No, I guess not," Harry replied.  
Hermione whacked his arm, and he hooted loudly. She turned towards the slender man before her.  
"You wanted to ask me something," she said.  
"Oh yeah, right," Draco began, unable to meet her gaze.  
She grabbed her coat off the rack and gently slid the abused list back into her pocket. She wouldn't forget where she had put it. That would be too embarrassing.  
"I wanted to give you the list of possible locations where Lucius could be hiding. From what I heard Neville got him pretty good, so he won't be moving around much at the moment," Draco explained.  
She nodded gratefully, taking the parchment from him and placing it in the middle of her desk, where she wouldn't forget it.  
"That's great, thanks. I'll send it to Kingsley, and maybe he'll finally give us the OK to start investigating those areas. However, before we do any of that, you're going to grab a butterbeer with Harry and me," she replied, taking hold of Harry's arm as well as Draco's.  
"Oh, I wouldn't want to intrude-" he began but she slapped his arm lightly.  
"Nonsense! We'd love for you to come," she replied airily.  
Harry gave her a sceptical look, but she merely grinned at him.   
"I'm having two pumpkin pies. I'm absolutely famished!" she exclaimed as they exited her demolished office.  
"Two?" Harry asked incredulously as they enter the elevator.  
"Don't judge me! I'm eating for two, now, aren't I?" she shot back, cradling her rounded belly protectively.  
Draco smiled awkwardly.  
"You look really... healthy, Hermione," he remarked tentatively.  
Harry guffawed loudly and slapped Draco on the back in such a friendly manner that she was momentarily transported back to their years at Hogwarts...with Ron.  
Draco blushed slightly, obviously embarrassed by his feeble attempt at a compliment. She, however, was touched by his new-found openness. She revelled in the idea of being friends with Draco Malfoy.   
They left the Ministry and headed towards Diagon Alley. When they all had a mug of butterbeer in their hands, she stood to raise her drink towards the ceiling. She beamed down at the two men beneath her.  
"To friends!" she cheered loudly, oblivious to the stares of the onlookers around them.  
"To friends," they repeated weakly.  
She sat back down, sighing contentedly. Draco took a sip of his beer, then looked up at her, a questioning already beginning to form on his tongue.  
"Yes?" she asked.  
"What was the name on the list you were so frantically searching for?"  
She burst out laughing and retrieved the list once more, letting her finger skim the paper until she found the encircled name.   
"Rhonda," she said, eyeing the five letters.  
There was a short pause, and then it was Harry's turn to laugh. She joined in, throwing her head back and flashing her pearly teeth.  
"It's hideous! What on earth was I thinking?" she gasped, clutching her sides.  
Draco began to sputter and she looked at him worriedly. Then he, too, started to chuckle and she realised that it was the first time she had seen him genuinely happy. 


	15. Chapter 15

"Remus?" she murmured, gently closing the bedroom door behind her.  
She had only just returned from work, frantically sending Kingsley the locations Draco had given her. She hoped that they could start investigating on Monday. She wanted the whole ordeal to be over before she gave birth to her child.  
Remus didn't reply, his body splayed out across the entirety of the mattress, his hair ruffled and his torso on display. His tanned skin, adorned with faint scars, glowing in the moonlight. She shuffled towards the bed, undressing as she did so, grinning broadly when she saw Teddy cradled in his father's arms. With a pang of sadness, she thought of Tonks, how she was unable to watch her child grow up, unable to see him become the wizard she always said he would be. She missed Tonks. She missed her and she knew that Remus missed her, too.

  
_"Bollocks, a person can have more than one soulmate! Sorry, Remus, but if you died and I found someone else I wouldn't hesitate." Tonks said, laughing as she saw her husband's slightly wounded expression._   
_"Nah, I don't agree," Sirius replied, crossing his arms indignantly._   
_"I don't care. Everyone deserves to be happy. If I am to die in this war, then I sure as hell want Remus to be happy when I'm gone."_   
_"You won't," Remus argued._   
_"But if I were too, promise me you'll move on," she said seriously for the first time that night._   
_"I can't-" he began._   
_"I'd do the same," she reminded him, grinning cheekily and kissing his cheek tenderly._   
_"Fine, I promise," he muttered._   
_"Good, but as you said, it won't come to that."_

  
She let the memory of that night in the Burrow play out in her mind and her eyes stang with tears as she thought of the pink-haired woman. She missed her. She missed Ron. She missed them all.  
She shook her head. She knew that she would always carry her grief with her, but at that moment she forced herself to concentrate on what she still had. What she would always have. Her friends and the love of her life.  
"Remus, babe," she whispered again, crawling in beside him and wrapping her arms around his warm body.  
He breathed deeply. In and out. Hermione let her cool fingers glide across his shoulder blades, smiling as he shuddered slightly.  
"Her- Hermione?" He asked hoarsely, his voice heavy with sleep.  
She responded by kissing his parted lips. He moaned quietly and pulled her towards him.  
"Careful, Teddy's sleeping," she breathed, letting her fingers get caught in his hair.  
"I missed you."  
She laughed quietly, her head resting on his chest, his steady heartbeat lulling her to sleep. His eyes were still closed and he looked so peaceful that she decided not to wake him fully. They could both sleep now. She'd see him in the morning. That was something she could count on. The only thing, it seemed.  
"I love you," she exhaled, snuggling even closer to him.  
"That's my line," he replied.  
She awoke to Teddy crying beside her, his hands clenching and unclenching agitatedly. With a yawn, she rolled onto her side and pulled him into her embrace. He quietened down immediately, clutching her curls and tugging at them gently.  
"Shush, Teddy. Daddy's still sleeping," she whispered, half expecting Remus to contradict her but he remained silent.  
Finally, opening her eyes completely, she looked towards the other side of the bed. Remus wasn't there and as she stroked her hand over the mattress, she realised that he had left a while ago. She scrambled to her feet, crushing Teddy protectively to her chest. With a jolt, she realised that there was a large bloodstain beside his cushion. The dark red seeped into her mind, and her heart began to race. His bedsheets were crumpled as if someone had struggled to get out of them and his wand lay on the floor as if someone had disarmed him. She was panicking then, rushing towards the door, and nearly tripping over her feet.  
"Remus!" She called desperately, running down the hallway, her dressing gown unravelling and revealing her naked body. She didn't even notice her state of undress.  
There was no reply, but Teddy's agitated cries.  
"Remus!" She screamed hoarsely, hurtling down the stairs. She was crying, her mind creating visions of terrible things being inflicted upon the werewolf. She crashed into the kitchen, positively beside herself with fear.  
"Morning, 'Mione-" Sirius began, his smile quickly fading as he saw her dishevelled appearance, a slight blush creeping into his cheeks as he saw her naked form.  
"Where is he?" she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.  
"Hermione what's going on?" he asked anxiously, striding towards her and taking Teddy from her.  
"Remus? Where's Remus? Something terrible's happened!"  
"What do you mean? What's happened?"  
She shook her head, unable to speak as violent sobs shook her slender frame.  
"Hermione, what the fuck is going on? You're scaring the shit out of me!" Sirius shouted, his eyes wide with confusion and dread.  
"What's all this shouting about?" a warm voice suddenly rang out.  
Hermione whirled around, her eyes disbelieving as Remus stepped into the kitchen, a bloody towel pressed against his nose. He froze as he took in the scene before him, Hermione crying hysterically and Sirius pale as a sheet as he rocked Teddy in his arms.  
"What the fuck?" Remus breathed, instinctively pulling Hermione into his arms and stroking her hair as she gulped in breaths of air.  
"Shit, Remus, I thought you were gone," she gasped.  
"Hey, Padfoot, there seems to have been a misunderstanding. Can you give us a minute?" he said quietly.  
Sirius nodded immediately, exiting the room in a swift motion, squeezing Hermione's shoulder gently as he left.  
"There was blood, and your wand was on the floor-" she began.  
"Fuck, I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd-" he faltered.  
"No, I'm s-sorry. I overreacted."  
"I had a nosebleed, and I thought I could fix it with my wand but I only made it worse," he explained, gesturing towards his bleeding nose.  
"I just- I thought I'd lost you."  
"No, Hermione, I wouldn't let that happen," he whispered into her hair.  
Her heartbeat slowed slightly, her body reacting to the comfort Remus provided. She took the blood-stained towel from him and placed it on the table beside them, then with careful precision she pointed her wand at Remus's nose and murmured an incantation. With a soft pop, the blood flow stopped.  
"I can't lose you, Remus. Not now, not ever," she said, her voice calmer than it had been just two minutes ago.  
He chuckled softly, then kissed her forehead, gently wrapping the silky robe around her shivering body.  
"It's going to take a whole lot more to kill me, now that I've got you," he breathed.  
She kissed him then and he reacted immediately, twisting his hands into her hair and crushing his lips against hers. It was desperate and it said all that needed to be said.

  
_Till death do us part._


	16. Chapter 16

"You are not doing this."  
"You have no voice in the matter."  
"You are _not_ doing this!"  
"Remus, you have no right to decide what I do or don't do," Hermione said haughtily.  
They'd been at it for hours. He just wouldn't see sense.  
"I do when you're endangering the life of our child!" He replied, his hands clenching into fists and his voice shaking with anger.  
"I have been waiting for months for this investigation to start and I'll be dammed if I let you ruin this!"  
"Ruin it? You sound like this is some sort of adventure! When in reality you're hunting for a blood-hungry lunatic, whilst being profoundly pregnant!" he cried incredulously, throwing his hands in the air for dramatic effect.  
She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her rounded belly. He was right. She was showing a lot more than she had a month ago, but her pregnancy would not stop her from hunting down Malfoy.  
"I will be surrounded by many other highly skilled Aurors," she said for what felt like the tenth time.  
"I cannot understand why you insist on endangering yourself!"  
"I swore I would eliminate Malfoy before our child is born. Surely, you can understand why I want to finish this as swiftly as possible?"  
"No, I can't. And I can't because you are being impulsive and irrational. You are blinded by hatred!" Remus retorted, his hands raking through his hair, an obvious sign for agitation.  
"Have I not every right to hate Lucius Malfoy?" she exclaimed indignantly.  
"Of course you do! But that is no help in such a dangerous matter."  
"You are _not_ my father!"  
"No, but I am the father of the child growing inside of your fucking uterus!" he shouted.  
"How nicely put," she shot back sarcastically.  
"Hermione, please, don't do this," he said, his voice much softer than it had been three seconds ago.  
"Remus, I have to," she whispered, reaching for his hands.  
He took a step away from her, his hands flying to his already tousled hair.  
"If you do this..." he threatened weakly.  
"Then what? What could happen, Remus?" she said, hating the way she was hurting him.  
"Please," he begged, and she could see that tears were forming in his eyes.  
She clenched her fists, forcing herself to stay resolute. She had to do this and she was sure that one day he would be able to understand her reasoning. They stood in heated silence, both of them unwilling to step down. She sighed, after what felt like an eternity of stillness.  
"I have to go, Remus. I'll be back tonight, I promise," she said, grabbing her denim jacket from the rack.  
She'd change into her Auror robes at the office. She hesitated slightly, then with a resigned sigh she headed towards the front door of Grimmauld Place.  
"If anything happens to you today, don't you dare come to me for help! I've asked you not to do this and by doing it anyway you are ruining any trust we had in this relationship" he called after her, his voice breaking.  
She froze at the door and glared at him.  
"Seriously? That's how far you're willing to go?" she hissed, her eyes narrowing dangerously.  
"You leave me no choice," he replied simply, meeting her gaze with an equally intense stare.  
"Fine!" she barked, slamming the door behind her with such force that she was sure she had woken Teddy.  
Tears stung her eyes as she strode towards the corner of the street. Harry was going to meet her there and she would have to pull herself together before that. After all, Remus was right, she was dealing with one of the most dangerous wizards alive. A wizard who had nothing to lose.  
"Duck!" Harry cried as he blocked yet another killing curse.

* * *

  
Hermione threw herself to the ground, her cheek scraping against the rough stone of the floor.  
The location the Auror's had apparated too was an abandoned cottage at the edge of a cliff somewhere in Scotland. At first, it had seemed harmless, but as they kicked the front door down, they were met by a nasty surprise. Ten of Lucius' cronies had ambushed them. Their eyes had a haunting hollow look to them and their faces drooped slightly, a telling sign of the imperious curse.  
"Move!" she screamed at Ginny, as a cruciatus curse sped her way.  
With a flick of her wand, she disarmed the black-haired woman, a tinge of guilt tugging at her as she watched her fall to the ground, her head landing on the stone with a dull smack.  
She looked around wildly, trying to place her next opponent, then,  
suddenly she was being hauled to her feet, an arm snaking around her throat. She struggled, but the pressure on her windpipes only increased, so she stopped immediately.  
"Hello," her captor spoke, his voice monotone.  
She shuddered, and with mounting dread, she realised that she had dropped her wand. It lay motionless a few feet away from her. There was no point in crying for help, seeing as all of her colleagues were busy blocking hexes and curses. They wouldn't hear her anyway.  
The arm tightened around her neck, making it increasingly difficult for her to breath. Her vision was fading, stars flashing before her eyes. Then, with one final burst of energy, she tore free from his grip and kneed him in the crotch. He yelled, and fell to the floor, cursing her to infinity and beyond.  
"Granger, behind you!" she heard Kingsley yell, causing her to whirl around.  
One of the assailants was hurtling towards her, his wand pointed directly at her chest. She dodged to the side just as he was beginning to utter yet another killing curse. He couldn't slow down anymore, and rushed against the wall with such force, that she thought he was going to tear through the wall. Instead, he fell to the floor. Presumably dead.  
There was barely any left. Seven of them lay motionless on the floor, and she found herself hoping that they had been hit by nothing worse than a body binding hex.  
Ginny was fighting off the one of the three left, eyes narrowed in concentration and red hair flying out behind her. Hermione turned on her feet, just in time to see Agatha fall to the ground, eyes closed and mouth slightly parted.  
Don't be dead, she prayed desperately, stepping in front of her colleague's lifeless form. The attacker sneered at her with such venom that Hermione decided she had needed no Imperius curse to do this. Hermione eyed the woman, wand raised, ready to deflect.  
"Crucio!" The woman shrieked, eyes wide with insanity.  
Hermione blocked the curse with a small flick of her wand.  
"Expelliarmus," she shouted, cursing furiously when her spell hit the wall instead of the woman.  
She cackled manically, as Hermione tried to regain her focus.  
"Stupefy-" Hermione yelled, but just as her incantation was about to hit her opponent, the woman retaliated.  
"Protego!"  
Hermione was pushed back with such force that her head hit the wall with a sickening thud. She slumped to the floor, wand rolling from her grip once more.  
"Immobulus!" she heard Harry bellow, just before she fell into unconsciousness.

  
She came to a little while later and realised with a jolt that she was hovering in mid-air. As it turned out, that wasn't the case. She was actually being carried. She craned her neck drowsily and a slow smile crept across her face when she realised that she was in Harry's arms.  
"Careful, Harry, don't make Ginny jealous," she tried to say, but it came out as a garbled mess.  
Harry glanced down at her worriedly and suddenly she was giggling. Something was funny, she just didn't quite know what.  
"Shit," Harry breathed, somehow not catching onto her good mood.  
"Is she awake?" she heard a female voice ask anxiously.  
"Yeah, but she's loopy as fuck," Harry replied.  
"She did hit her head pretty hard," a different voice said.  
They were moving slowly and the wind that whistled in her ears told her that they were outside. She enjoyed being outside. Fresh air was good.  
"Where are we going?" she mumbled, a sense of weightlessness washing over her.  
"We're going home," Harry replied, gripping her a little tighter when he realised that her eyes were closing again.  
"Home?" she asked breathlessly, finding it increasingly difficult to stay conscious.  
"Grimmauld Place," he replied.  
Something was wrong. She couldn't go back there. Another small laugh escaped her lips, but her eyes were wide with unease.  
"No, I can't," she exclaimed, becoming agitated.  
"Stay with me, 'Mione," he murmured urgently, as her arms around his neck began to slacken.  
"I can't... Remus," she muttered incoherently.  
"Yes, Remus will be there."  
"No," she breathed.  
Then everything was dark once more.

* * *

  
"Bring her through!"  
"Living room?"  
"Yes, quickly, Harry," Remus said, his voice surprisingly calm.  
Even in her comatose state, she cringed slightly as she remembered the way she had left him that day. He hadn't deserved to be treated that way and he had been right. She had been hurt. Silent tears streamed down her face, as she realised that their child might have been hurt in the process. Her tears, however, could also have come from the splitting headache that plagued her as she came back to her senses. The calming sense that had lapped over her like water just minutes before, had been replaced by a heaviness that seemed to reach every cell of her being. She was gently placed onto a leather couch, and a blanket was immediately pulled over her shivering body.  
"How about you and Ginny go next door and make some tea to calm everybody's nerves?" Remus asked softly, but the authoritative undertone left no room for discussion.  
Harry muttered something which she didn't quite catch and left the room with Ginny, closing the door behind them with a soft thud. She was alone with Remus and another wave of guilt washed over her. He had been right.  
"I'm sorry," she breathed, fresh tears streaming down her face.  
"Hush, it's Ok. It's Ok. You're going to be alright," he murmured, stroking her cheek with surprising gentleness.  
She had been ready for his anger, his justified anger, and the tenderness in his voice surprised her.  
"But it's not ok," she sobbed, a hint of hysteria creeping into her voice.  
"Yes, it is," he said, propping her up slightly as he laid a fresh towel beneath her head.  
She could feel hot, sticky blood pouring from the wound at the back of her head. It hurt. It hurt like hell.  
"Hermione?" he asked quietly.  
"Yes?" she replied softly, forcing herself to look him in the eye.  
Those beautiful eyes. Blue with flecks of gold and amber. There was no adjective for the shade of his eyes. Hazel didn't even begin to describe the complexity of his irises. His steady gaze would keep her from sinking back into the darkness.  
"I'm going to heal the wound, but it's going to hurt. You need to stay nice and still, can you do that for me?"  
She nodded, her vision blurring slightly.  
"Good," he murmured, pulling a small vial out of his pocket.  
So, he just happened to carry a vial of Essence of Dittany with him? She would have laughed if she could.  
Holding her gaze, he lifted her head so that he had better access to the back of her head. He brushed her hair to the side and began to pour the liquid onto the wound. She gritted her teeth, whimpering as the fire consumed her.  
"You're doing wonderfully, my love."  
She cried silently, her hands balling into fists.  
"Can you forgive me?" she asked, through clenched teeth.  
"There's nothing to forgive."  
"I was so stupid. What if I hurt the baby?" she whimpered softly.  
Remus didn't reply immediately, instead, he set her head back down, obviously pleased with the work the essence had done. Then he let one of his hands cup her face, his thumb stroking her tears away.  
"Go to sleep, Hermione. I'll make an appointment for you at St. Mungo's first thing tomorrow morning."  
She leaned into his touch and started to close her eyes when she abruptly remembered that she had one last thing to say.  
"I didn't mean all of those things I said to you this morning."  
"Neither did I," he replied softly.  
"Truce?"  
"Truce."  
He placed a tender kiss on her cheek, then let himself sag against the sofa, his head resting gently on her thigh. She knew he'd stay there until she woke up again.

  
"Here's your tea-" Ginny said as she and Harry entered the room once more, a tray with several cups, a plate of biscuits and a teapot balanced in her hands.  
But as they walked towards the sofa, they saw that Remus had fallen asleep beside Hermione, both of them breathing evenly, their hands intertwined.  
"We should let them sleep," Harry murmured, pulling her sleeve gently.  
"I guess," Ginny replied, popping a custard cream into her mouth and chewing thoughtfully.  
They left the room as quietly as possible, glancing back at the sleeping couple every few seconds.  
"I would not have believed you if you had told me three years ago that Hermione and Remus were going to become an item," Harry said when they were back in the hallway.  
"An item? This isn't the 19th century. They're in love," Ginny shot back, swatting his arm playfully.  
"But now I know that they were made for each other," he continued, ignoring Ginny's jibe.  
A quiet snore from Remus reminded them that they were still in earshot and they retired to the kitchen shortly after.  
"To love," Ginny said lifting her mug of tea towards Harry's when they were comfortably seated at the dining table.  
"To love."


	17. Chapter 17

She was nervous and she didn't like it. She wasn't used to the tight feeling in her chest, nor the difficulty she felt whilst breathing. The more she concentrated on filling her lungs with air, the more difficult it seemed to become. She fidgeted anxiously, praying that the nurse would come back soon. Remus stood beside her, his hand resting on her shoulder, probably hoping to comfort her. The stony expression on his face, however, didn't comfort her in the slightest.  
"Can I hold him?" she asked softly, relaxing slightly when Remus nodded, placing Teddy into her arms.  
She cradled his warm body against her chest, her heartbeat slowing as she gazed down at his sleeping face.  
"The nurse should be back any second now," Remus stated, his lips tight and jaw tensed.  
She nodded, trying hard to push her thoughts aside. But there was one sentence that played in her head over and over again.  
What if we lost it?  
The blonde nurse who had been tending to her entered the room again. She had a clipboard tucked under her arm and an impassive expression on her face.  
"Right, Miss Granger," she began.  
Instinctively Hermione reached for Remus' hand.  
"So, I just let one of the healers look over your results and-"  
Remus squeezed her hand gently as if to say that everything would be OK, no matter what the results revealed.  
"Your baby is absolutely fine. You have nothing to worry about. "   
The two of them let out a sigh of relief, and Hermione felt close to tears as she let the news sink in. Her baby was safe.  
"We do, however, highly recommend that you take time off work and stick to bed rest for the time being. Your husband took excellent care of the external damages your injury provided, but your concussion has yet to pass," the stout woman continued.  
"Of course, I'll see to that," Remus said immediately, wrapping an arm protectively around Hermione's shoulder.  
She leant into him, smiling for the first time that day.  
"Good. Now, our examination also revealed the gender of your baby. Would you like to-"  
"Yes!" Remus and Hermione exclaimed simultaneously.  
The woman bit back a smile.  
"You're having a baby girl," she said, a little friendlier than before.  
Hermione squealed with joy, kissing Teddy's button nose.  
"You're going to have a baby sister, Ted!" Remus breathed excitedly, stroking his son's cheek.  
  
After the nurse had left, Hermione turned to Remus and raised an eyebrow.  
"Husband, eh?"  
He chuckled warmly, the deep rumble of his laugh evoking a feeling in her that she couldn't quite place.  
"I don't hate the sound of that, Mrs Lupin," he replied, leaning down and kissing her tenderly.  
She giggled, slightly out of breath as they pulled apart.  
"Mrs Lupin, eh? I could get used to that..."  
"Really?" Remus asked his face earnest as he studied her expression.  
"Yes, of course! It definitely beats Miss Granger," she said thoughtfully.  
"No, I meant if you were serious about becoming my wife."  
"Oh! Is this a proposal?" she asked.  
"I guess..." he faltered, nervously running his hands through his hair.  
"Well, then... yes! Of course, I want to be your wife!" she blurted.  
His eyes lit up and a euphoric smile stretched across his face.  
"You've just made me the happiest man on earth," he breathed.   
"If I had only known it was that easy," she responded, leaning in for yet another kiss.

"We're back," Hermione called, as she, Remus and Teddy entered Grimmauld Place.  
They stepped through to the kitchen and saw Harry and Sirius waiting nervously at the table. The atmosphere was tense and she could see that the lunch she had prepared for them both had been left untouched. The two men looked up immediately as Remus closed the door softly, Teddy balancing precariously in his other arm. Hermione grinned up at him and took Teddy from him, then turned to her two stony-faced housemates.  
"What did they say? Is everything ok?" Sirius asked, not reciprocating her smile.  
Hermione blushed, taking in the worry etched into the older man's face, realising once more how unbelievably stupid she had been and how much distress she had cast upon her dearest friends.  
"Is the baby ok?" Harry pressed.  
She swallowed, shifting Teddy's weight in her arms.  
"Everything is fine. The child was left unharmed, but the nurse explicitly said that Hermione is meant to rest and take time off work," Remus explained, placing a hand gently on Hermione's shoulder.  
Harry and Sirius simultaneously sighed in relief, wide smiles spreading on each of their faces.  
"So, that means we're still going to be Godparent's?" Sirius asked animatedly, belatedly tucking into the full English Hermione had prepared.  
"Of course," she said quietly, still unable to look at them.  
"First Lucius' attack now this. Your baby is one hell of a fighter, that's for sure," he remarked  
"Or she's just incredibly lucky," Hermione muttered.  
Harry and Sirius looked up in surprise by the sudden reveal of the child's gender, but the solemn look on Hermione's face hindered them from remarking on it.  
"Nobody blames you for what happened," Remus murmured quietly.  
"Well, I do-" Harry began, cut off by the stern glare Remus through his way.  
"Don't-" he warned through gritted teeth, revealing to them all that Harry had discovered a sore spot.  
"But, luckily nothing too terrible happened and hopefully, you've learnt your lesson," Harry concluded, through a mouthful of bacon.  
Hermione nodded, stroking Teddy's back, more to soothe herself than the already content child.  
"You're right," she said quietly, feeling lighter, somehow, now that someone had actually held her responsible.  
"Wait-" Sirius interjected, his gaze fixated on Remus.  
Remus raised an eyebrow questioningly, urging the animagus to enlighten them all.  
"You're not telling us something," Harry said, catching on to his godfather's suspicions.  
An awkward silence enveloped the room, and then Hermione's face split into a grin.  
She took hold of Remus's hand and smiled up at him.  
"Do you want to tell them, or shall I?"  
He beamed down at her and gestured for her to convey the good news.  
"Spit it out!" Harry exclaimed, the excitement in his eyes betraying the fact that he already knew what she was going to say.  
"Remus and I are getting married."  
Sirius whooped loudly and in three strides he was at his oldest friend's side, hugging him ferociously. Hermione turned to Harry whose entire face was alight with unfiltered joy.   
"You're not kidding?" he asked, getting up from the table and walking towards her.  
She shook her head, smiling so much her face hurt. He pulled her into a gentle embrace, careful not to crush Teddy. Hermione leaned into her best friend, wondering how so much could have happened in so little time.  
"To Mr and Mrs Lupin!" Sirius bellowed, handing Teddy to Remus so that he could lift Hermione into one of his bear hugs.   
He whirled her around, eyes ablaze with emotion.  
"Careful!" Remus exclaimed worriedly.  
Sirius grinned apologetically and set her back down on her feet.  
"I forgot, your all fragile now aren't you?" he remarked.  
"Bugger off," she shot back, unable to hide the immense relief she was feeling.  
She was going to have a family, and that was _all_ that mattered.


	18. Chapter 18

"Who hurt you?"  
"What do you mean?" Hermione retaliated, flicking her hair behind her shoulder and letting her finger trace the glossy page she had been admiring.  
Ginny shook her head and tutted audibly, letting herself fall back onto Hermione's bed. She landed with a dull thud and glared up at the ceiling.  
"You could have any bloody dress and you want to go for the fucking maroon?" the red-haired woman asked incredulously.  
"I don't want _any_ dress. I want this one!" Hermione exclaimed, jabbing the flimsy magazine they had been flicking through.  
"It's hideous!"  
"It's vintage!"   
"Vintage means ugly," Ginny shot back, her face slightly redder than usual.  
It must have been the Firewhisky she had been drinking across the entire evening. Hermione had stayed with butterbeer and enjoyed being the only sober one of the two.  
"Take the blue one!" Ginny cried, rolling onto her stomach and glaring at Hermione.  
"The blue one? But it's so, revealing and I'll be even bigger in a few weeks," she replied worriedly.  
"Why the fuck do you have to get married in two weeks anyway?"  
"Because we love each other and there's no point in waiting," Hermione responded simply, eyeing the cornflower blue, Tea-Length dress.  
It was beautiful. The material looked silky and the blue was slightly faded, giving it a worn look. It was perfect for Hermione. She felt as though she could almost feel the soft fabric through the lustrous paper. She could feel her decision wavering and finally, with a sigh, she glared at Ginny.  
"Fine! I'll take the blue one," she said.  
Ginny whooped loudly and jumped from the bed, tackling Hermione in a hug.  
"Yes, perfect!"  
"You are so unpredictable," Hermione muttered, pulling away from the slightly too aggressive cuddle.  
"No, 'Mione, I'm drunk."  
A short knock at the door pulled them out of their wedding frenzy.  
"Hi," Harry said entering the room awkwardly.  
"What's up, Haz," Ginny slurred.  
Hermione whacked her friend's arm and beamed up at Harry.  
"What can we do for you?" she asked sweetly.  
"Remus and Sirius are cooking downstairs," he replied.  
"And?" Ginny inquired.  
"It's hell."  
"Ah, I see," Hermione said, gesturing for him to join them on the floor.  
He nodded gratefully and let himself be enveloped by the blanket they were sharing.  
"What are they making?" she asked sympathetically.  
"Lasagne."  
Hermione had witnessed more than enough cooking sessions with Remus and Sirius and she understood entirely why Harry had left. Both of the men were complete alphas when it came to cooking and refused to back down. The end product usually was an inedible mess of ingredients, which was then tossed into a pot and burnt to a crisp.   
"What are you looking at?" Harry asked, pointing at the crinkled magazine.  
"Dresses." the two women replied in unison.  
"Oh," he replied, immediately losing interest.  
"Is Harry going to be a bridesmaid?" Ginny asked, rolling onto her back, and stared up at the ceiling  
"I haven't asked him," Hermione replied honestly, turning to Harry.  
"Well, I wouldn't say no..." he said jokingly, adjusting his glasses.  
"Then it is decided."  
They lay there in amicable silence until their thoughts were interrupted by a deafening thwack against the window.  
"What in Merlin's name was that?" Ginny shrieked, jumping up from the floor and rushing towards the curtains.  
"No idea," Harry murmured, rolling onto his side, and rubbing his hands over his face, implying that he didn't really care.  
It took a lot more to unsettle Harry.  
"Can you see what it was?" Hermione asked, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders and craning her neck to get a better look at the Window.  
"I think it was an owl," Ginny murmured, opening the window a crack and peering out.  
"You think?"  
"Definitely an owl," she confirmed.  
Harry pushed himself up from the wooden floorboards and said, "let's take a look then."  
Hermione sighed and followed her two friends downstairs. 

"What does it say?" Ginny whined impatiently, prodding Harry's shoulder as he took the sealed letter from the feeble animal.  
The owl wasn't terribly wounded, just a little shaken and Hermione was trying to stroke some life back into it.  
" _Wait_ ," he muttered, his glasses slowly slipping from his nose.  
"Give it!" a slightly tipsy Ginny snapped, ripping the letter from him.  
Hermione rolled her eyes, waiting patiently for her friend to convey the news. It was probably going to be a letter from Mrs Weasley inviting them to tea. She had been trying to get her and Remus in the same room to question them about their relationship. Hermione really couldn't be bothered to be interrogated by the Weasley matriarch. Or, maybe it would be a letter from Neville asking to meet up. She wouldn't mind that. Neville was a good friend and she'd enjoy grabbing a meal with him. She was pulled out of her thoughts by a horrific sound which came from Ginny's mouth. Her hands were clamped over her mouth and her eyes were wide with shock.  
"What?" Harry inquired, ripping the letter from her, and let his eyes scan its contents.  
Hermione watched how his shoulders slumped and defeat sparked in his eyes. He shook his head wearily and handed the letter to her. She already knew what had happened before she had finished reading the letter.  
"Merlin, help us all," she breathed.


	19. Chapter 19

"Do you have everything you need?" Remus asked worriedly, running his hands through his hair as he eyed Harry and Ginny.  
Ginny had been given a potion to sober up, whilst Harry had hurriedly run into his bedroom to grab his cloak and wand.  
"We'll apparate to the Burrow to get Ginny's stuff, Kingsley will pick us up from there. The others are already there," Harry replied, wrapping his cloak around his shoulders.  
"What do you mean the others are already there?" Hermione asked shrilly, the fact that she would not be allowed to join the arrest was setting her teeth on edge.  
"They've set up camp there. Malfoy is a snake and we'll need a lot of patience to flush him out," Ginny replied, squeezing her friend's shoulder gently.  
"So, this is going to take a while? You don't know when you'll be back?" she pressed, her hand unconsciously wondering to her abdomen, stroking the soft material of her blouse.  
"It's going to be alright, Hermione," assured Sirius, giving her a reassuring smile.  
"We don't know that," she hissed.  
Remus pulled her towards him, in a slightly protective manner.  
"But we shall presume so," he murmured in her ear.  
She nodded reluctantly, leaning into him.  
"I hope you find him."  
"So do we, 'Mione. So do we," Harry said, giving her a tense smile.  
"I wish I could come-" she began, her hands clenching and unclenching restlessly.  
"You will stay here, Hermione, to keep you and your child safe," Sirius snapped, his face no longer friendly.  
She bit her tongue, walking her friends to the front door instead.  
"Look after yourselves, and remember Malfoy never operates alone. He'll have a dozen cronies following his every command," she warned.  
"We know. Don't worry. All you need to do at the moment is rest, we'll look after the rest," Ginny called over her shoulder, as they walked down the garden path.  
"I don't like your patronising tone!" Hermione exclaimed, her voice humourful, but her eyes wide with worry.  
No words were exchanged as Remus, Sirius and Hermione watched the two young Aurors travel down the street. There was nothing to be said, at least not out loud. All that was left to do was pray to Merlin that they would return unscathed.

  
She couldn't sleep that night and after tossing and turning for what felt like an eternity, she gently shook Remus awake.  
"I'm going to be extremely selfish right now," she began, letting her hand run through his hair.  
"You're carrying our child, Hermione. You are excused from being selfless," he murmured his lips against her bare shoulder.  
"I'm not supposed to get up," she continued, but before she could finish her sentence, Remus had jumped out of his sheets and was already lifting her into his arms.  
He held her as if she weighed no more than a child.  
"Hot chocolate?" he guessed, smiling down at her, his eyes heavy with sleep.  
"You know me so well," she replied, brushing the faint circles under his eyes.  
Although his features were relaxed, the slight wrinkle between his eyebrows and the tension in his neck, suggested that he too was worried about Harry and Ginny.  
"They're going to be ok," she whispered, unsure if she was stating a fact or asking a question.  
He nodded, adjusting her slightly in his arms. She leaned into his chest and closed her eyes.  
"Let's go and make some hot chocolate then," he declared.

  
"Right, Miss... Granger, is it?" the receptionist asked as Hermione entered St. Mungo's the next morning.  
"Yes, Miss Granger," she replied absentmindedly, returning the younger woman's smile.  
"You're here for your check-up?"  
"I am," Hermione responded.  
"Lovely. Take a seat, and the healer will be right with you."  
She nodded gratefully and made her way towards the waiting area. It was the first time she had been out in two weeks and the sight of the fully packed room set her teeth on edge. She leaned back against the hard wooden chair and was just about to close her eyes... And that was when she saw it. A flash of red hair, the glimpse of a freckled face. Her heart stopped.  
And before she could stop herself-  
"Ron?"  
The man looked up and with a sinking feeling, she realised that she had mistaken George for her dead friend. He smiled up at her, his eyes friendly and warm.  
"'Mione!" he said, getting up and sitting down beside her.  
"George," she breathed trying to hide her disappointment.  
"Checking up on the little one?" he asked.  
"Yes. What are you in for?"  
"My ear," he replied simply, gesturing awkwardly to the place where his ear had indeed once been.  
"Is the operation today?"  
"Yep, I will be walking out of here a whole man once more," he replied jokingly.  
There was a short pause, and then George seemed to deflate beside her. He placed his warm hand onto her knee and gave her a weak yet resolute smile. She had seen him do the same thing to Ginny on numerous occasions and she was touched by the brotherly gesture.  
"The same thing happened to me at the Leaky a couple of nights ago. For a second, just a second, I forgot. I thought he was sitting at the bar and I called over to him, but- well..." he trailed off.  
"It wasn't Ron." she murmured,  
He flinched slightly when she said his name.  
There was another short pause, as they watched their surroundings. Patients were being called into rooms by healers and nurses were bustling around noisily.  
"Sometimes, I feel like everyone's forgotten him," she murmured, her voice cracking slightly.  
"We all miss him. Only that some of us hide it better than others," he replied.  
"Yeah?"  
"Yeah."  
Hermione smiled up at him, her eyes wet with unshed tears. He beamed down at her, but somehow his expression still managed to mirror her pain.  
"Miss Granger?" A voice called out.  
She disentangled herself from George and gave him a quick hug before she made her way towards the healer.  
"See you soon," he called after her.  
"At the wedding?" she asked over her shoulder.  
"Wouldn't miss it for the world!"  
She shook her head, grinning widely. The healer smiled and led her into his office.  
"So, you're in the clear for now. Your concussion has indeed passed and so I see no problem with you returning to your original routine, I do however strongly advise that you stay well away from work," the elderly man said, glancing at the form she had filled out earlier.  
The examination had been quick and painless and the healer had been efficient as well as friendly.  
"Well, that's lovely. I'll be back in a few weeks," she replied, grabbing her bag and coat.  
"Ah, Miss Granger," he continued as she made her way to the door.  
She paused, already disliking the pitiful tone in his voice.  
"What is it?"  
"I see here that the father of your child is _Remus Lupin_ ," he pronounced her partner's name with such distaste that you could have thought he was talking about Voldemort himself.  
"I don't see why that should in any way concern you," she spat, glaring viciously.  
"I thought you might say that and you are right. It doesn't concern me in any medical capacity, but as a fellow wizard I feel obliged to-"  
"Thank you, but you're not obliged to do or say anything," she snapped haughtily, disgusted by his attempt to speak poorly of Remus.  
Did he think she would listen to him? That she hadn't heard all of the unfair assumptions and vicious rumours about Remus?  
"But, I don't think you understand how unnatural-" he attempted but was quickly shut down.  
"Listen to me, Mr Braithewaite, you have no right to speak to me about my relationship. It is not your job nor your concern. Many medical professionals have assured me that my child is healthy and well. You will not persuade me with your intolerance."  
"Lupin is a creature. A dangerous _animal_! He is in no way fit to take care of a child. I should know, I treated him all those years ago."  
"You don't know the first thing about Mr Lupin and I'm afraid I no longer feel comfortable in your presence."  
He scoffed, but the unsettled look in his eyes suggested that he hadn't expected their conversation to escalate so quickly.  
"Don't make me report you, sir," Hermione hissed, as she finally opened the door of the stuffy office.  
"I apologise. Really, I do," he began, flustered.  
"Speak no more of it."  
He bowed his head, colour rising to his cheeks. She was sickened by the pathetic display and quickly made her way down the corridor. As she passed the reception, she was greeted by the devil himself. Well, in the sunlight shining through the large glass windows, he looked more heavenly than hellish. Remus sat in one of the hard chairs of the waiting room, an easy smile on his lips, immediately jumping up when he saw her. She walked towards him, uncomfortable. She had hoped she would have some time to digest what the healer had said so that she wouldn't have to do so in Remus' presence.  
"Hello, darling. I finished the nursery a bit sooner than expected and I thought I'd pick you up," he trailed off as he took in her solemn expression.  
"I don't want to talk about it," she said quietly, accepting his outstretched arm.  
"Is something wrong with her?" he asked worriedly, his eyes jumping to her rounded abdomen.  
"Oh, Merlin, no!" she exclaimed, squeezing his arm gently.  
"Ok..." he trailed off, his brow furrowed.  
"I'm sorry. I'll tell you later," she mumbled, leaning into him.  
"Whenever your ready," he said simply, beaming down at her.  
She let his smile wash away some of the anger coiled in her chest, and leaned up to kiss him. He stopped walking, pulling her to the side of the pavement, then returned her caress. It was sweet and tender.  
He pulled away, his face lit up with an emotion she couldn't quite place.  
"You're so fucking perfect."  
 _Love?_  
"Very eloquent, Remus," she replied, biting her lip to keep the smile off her face.  
"I know," he murmured, his breath smelling of mint and pine trees.  
Then he pulled away, taking her hand in his.  
Mr Braithewaite, and others like him, would never understand the deep emotion they felt for each other. But at that moment none of that mattered to Hermione. For all she cared, it could be her and Remus against the world. As long as they were together.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I know it's been a while. Just know I haven't forgotten this story and I'm intent on finishing it.  
> I hope you enjoy this chapter.   
> Stay safe!

With trembling fingers, Hermione dialled Ginny Weasley's number. It had been four days since her two friends had left the safe confines of Grimmauld Place to hunt down Malfoy. Before they had left, Hermione had given Ginny a mobile phone, believing that that would be the easiest and safest way to contact her. Now, she wasn't so sure anymore. The other end of the phone stayed silent and Hermione was just about to hang up when-  
“What? Why is it making such an awful sound? Harry, help!”  
Ginny's frantic voice squawked through the speaker, followed by a muffled voice and then Harry was speaking to her. Hermione's detailed tutorial on how to use a phone had obviously been wasted on Ginny.  
“Hermione?” Harry asked, his voice making her audibly exhale with relief.  
“Harry! Thank god,” she breathed.  
“Are you alright? What's happened? Is Remus okay?”  
“No! Everything's fine here. I was worried that something had happened to you!”  
She heard him laugh heartily and say something to Ginny, who then replied with a snort.  
“Are you making fun of me? Because there's nothing remotely funny about this! For the last few days, I've been worried sick that Malfoy might have kidnapped you, or-”  
“Hermione, stop. I was just laughing because Ginny was the one worried about you. She hasn't been able to stop fretting about you and the baby,” he replied, soothing her frazzled mind.  
“Oh, I see, well there's no need for that. I'm fine,” she replied, a smile tugging at her lips.  
“Hey, I have an idea,” Harry began.  
“This had better be good,” she replied sarcastically, failing to hide the relief in her voice.  
“We'll look after ourselves and you'll look after yourself and the baby. Then we can all stop worrying and take care of ourselves.”  
“I like the sound of that, to be honest,” she replied.  
“I thought you would.”  
“Stay safe, Harry.”  
“You too, Hermione. We love you.”  
Remus who had been listening from his armchair next to her sat up and took hold of her hand, squeezing gently.  
“We love you too,” she whispered into the phone.

“Can I help you?” Remus asked as he entered the kitchen.  
After her phone call with Harry, she had decided to prepare dinner, whilst Remus put Teddy to bed.  
“No, I'm managing. Thank you, love.”  
He stepped towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist. She leaned into him, momentarily tearing her eyes away from the stove, to gaze into his heated eyes.  
“That's not what I meant,” he murmured, trailing kisses down her neck.  
She exhaled shakily, dinner completely forgotten. His hands trailed from her hips to her chest, until his fingers were deftly unbuttoning her blouse. She pressed her hips against his growing arousal, loving the sharp exhale the movement elicited.  
“Remus,” she breathed, as he stroked over the silky material of her bra, her top lying forgotten on the stone floor.  
“I need you.”  
She turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him until they both gasping for air. He looked at her, his eyes hooded with desire.  
Then before she could respond, he had hoisted her into his arms and set her onto the kitchen table.  
“You look so fucking perfect,” he growled, his voice laced with urgency.  
She pulled him down on top of her and wrapped her legs around his waist.  
“Make love to me,” she whispered.  
He made a sound in the back of his throat, pulling her jeans down her slender legs, exposing her creamy skin to the cool air of the room. She tore his shirt over his head and flung it to the far side of the room. Then she unbuttoned his trousers, her eyes examining the tanned torso of her lover as she did so. She kissed the crescent scars adorning his skin, moaning when his hands brushed against her centre.  
“Merlin,” she breathed.  
“Look at me,” he growled.  
Then gazing deep into her chocolate brown eyes he closed the remaining distance between them.

Afterwards, when they were both lying on the kitchen floor, she turned to him, her hands absentmindedly drawing patterns on the bare skin of his chest.  
“Where did that come from?” she asked sleepily, pressing her lips into the crook of his neck.  
He didn't reply at first, then he looked at her.  
She was taken aback by the emotion in his eyes.  
“You've ruined me, Hermione,” he whispered.  
She froze, troubled by the anguish he so blatantly displayed.  
"If I lose you, it'll destroy me."  
Then he looked back up at the ceiling, a stray tear running down the side of his face.


	21. Chapter 21

She was tired. She hadn't slept all night, too busy tossing and turning as she had contemplated Remus' words.   
“You've ruined me, Hermione.”   
And as she sat there, in the library cradling Teddy in her arms, she felt hot tears pour down her cheeks. They tasted salty on her lips and she realised then, that she had missed crying. Because crying meant that she was still capable of feeling something. Crying meant that she hadn't lost her humanity during the war and through its consequences. Teddy looked up at her, his eyes filled with an understanding only possessed by children. She tried to smile down at him, but once more her eyes filled with tears and she had to look away as not to wet his rosy cheeks. She didn't even know why exactly she was crying. Hormones? Grief? But she was relieved. Relieved to be feeling something she didn't understand, something that she couldn't explain away with reason or logic.   
She heard someone enter the room. Remus. She didn't want to see him.  
"Hermione," he began, his voice filled with grief.  
She shook her head, and quickly wiped her tears with the back of her hand, unable to look at him. Instead, she gazed down at Teddy and let his small hand curl around her ring finger.  
"I'm trying to get him to settle down," she said, her voice shaking slightly.  
Remus didn't reply. Instead, he moved towards her.  
"Hermione-"  
"I really don't want to talk right now, Remus. I don't have anything to say," she snapped, breaking free from her melancholy fog.  
She looked at him and saw his slumped shoulders and red eyes. Had he been crying too? She could smell cinnamon on his breath. Firewhisky. He was drunk.  
"I want to explain," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.  
"What's there to explain? You made yourself very clear last night."  
"I didn't mean- I wasn't thinking straight," he murmured.  
She scoffed loudly, anger filling her, constricting her throat. She brushed past him and headed towards Teddy's bedroom. Remus followed her. Teddy snuffled softly in her arms, and she realised that he had fallen asleep. Placing a tender kiss onto his cheek, she tucked him into his crib.  
"Please-"  
Glaring at Remus, Hermione took hold of his shirt sleeve and pulled the two of them out of the dimly lit bedroom and into the corridor. She gave Teddy one last glance, then closed the door behind them.  
"I love you," Remus whispered, leaning in to kiss her.  
"You're drunk."  
"Yes, maybe a little bit. I have to be drunk to say what I'm going to say next," he explained, tipping slightly to one side.  
Hermione instinctively helped him steady himself, worried by the way his eyes couldn't seem to focus.  
"Remus, let's not talk about this now."  
"No! I have to- to say what I need to say," he exclaimed loudly.  
Hermione led the two of them into the kitchen and sat him down in one of the chairs.  
"You're not thinking straight-"  
"Hermione, I love you. I love you so much it terrifies me," he said, his words slurring slightly, "after the war, when Tonks died I swore never to fall in love again because I knew that I couldn't survive losing someone again. And then I met you and you were so fucking perfect and I couldn't help myself. I fell in love with you over and over again, and now-"  
He stopped, his eyes filling with tears and his hands shaking. He looked so helpless that Hermione couldn't help but soften, she stroked away his tears and kissed him softly. The firewhisky burnt her lips but she didn't care. Not at that moment. Remus pulled away.  
"I don't know how all this is going to end, but I know that I can't protect you. I need you to promise me that you won't leave me. You can't leave me too. Oh god, Hermione, please don't leave me," he whispered, his voice breaking as he began to cry.   
He looked so vulnerable, sitting there his entire frame shaking as he wept.  
She looked on stricken, trying in vain to wipe his tears, but they fell quicker then she could catch them.  
"Remus, I won't leave you. I won't ever leave you," she whispered over and over again, climbing onto his lap.  
He wrapped his arms around her and let his head fall against her shoulder. She felt ridiculous for getting so caught up in his words and not seeing how much he was hurting. How he too had been affected by everything that had happened. How he, too, was only human.  
"I love you," she breathed.

"You just got a message from Ginny," Remus exclaimed, his mouth full of toast.  
They were sitting in the kitchen, eating amicably.   
Her phone had buzzed loudly, but she was trying to teach him at least a few essential muggle skills so she had let him check her inbox. It took five minutes for him to unlock her phone. She looked at him, an eyebrow raised in confusion.  
"She couldn't even answer her phone yesterday. You mean to tell me she's suddenly learnt how to text?" Hermione asked, a wide smile splitting her face.  
"You're right, Harry just sent you a text. Apparently, they're coming home this evening."  
Hermione dropped the peach she had just bitten into, juice dripping down her chin as she stared at him in disbelief.  
"What happened? Are they alright?" she asked urgently, wiping her mouth impatiently.  
He looked back down at the small display, his eyes scanning the text, then he took hold of her hand and squeezed it gently, his eyes brimming with emotion.  
"They got him. They arrested Lucius Malfoy."  
She stared at him, unable to move, unable to speak.  
"He's being transported to Azkaban as we speak," he continued, a genuine smile playing at the corners of his mouth, "it's over, my love."  
"They got him," she whispered, more to herself than to anyone else.  
Then she stood up from her chair and launched herself into his arms, burrowing her face into the crook of his neck. She closed her eyes and just let herself be held by him. Because in that perfect moment, it really was over. He kissed the top of her head and pulled her even closer to him.  
"Now, we can finally start looking forward."

They sat like that for what felt like an eternity until a sad truth began to dawn on her.  
"Remus?"  
"Hm?"  
"If there is anything we should have learnt by now, it's that it will never really be over," she murmured, playing with the silky hair at the nape of his neck.  
"Have faith, Love. We must celebrate the small victories," he replied softly.  
She nodded reluctantly, keeping her last thought to herself.  
 _The day I celebrate is the day Lucius Malfoy lies six feet under._

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed!  
> Kudos and comments make my day ;)


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